Trans Woman Fired In A Case Of Discrimination

http://www.womanist-musings.com/2009/08/trans-woman-fired-in-case-of.html
8/11/09

I came across the story of Andre Edwards over at Deeply Problematic.

It seems Ms.Edwards was fired from her job in what appears to be a
case of transmisogny. She worked as a cab driver and was accused of
having a "bad attitude" Too often when society wants to discipline
women, we are constructed as bitchy, angry, and just plain ill
tempered. Luckily, she was able to find a new job and she reports
that she is happy.

Laws that supposedly protect the employment rights of the transgendered are a joke.  All they accomplish is to put employers on notice that they need a pretext, like a bad attitude or insubordination, when they fire a transperson.  I can tell you first hand that this adds insult to injury.  Not only do you know you really got fired for being trans, but added to that is the injustice of being fired on a totally false charge as well.

QuoteThat simply means that the contract can be dissolved by either party for any reason without notice or recourse.

If an employer can find someone else to do your job and make the company more money they will replace you. The same holds true for hiring. If you can show the employer that you can do a better job than someone on his staff and make the company much more than you cost you can get hired. Very few people are willing to try this approach. It is the best way to get a job that is not advertised.

^^^
Conversely, I've known of (and have been one) people who were laid off and not brought back in favor of shorter term employees who didn't cost as much in terms of vacation pay and so forth.

I don't want to start another debate by saying this but it's kinda sad that unions have overplayed their hand so badly over the decades because there is a place for a real need for worker protection.

In general, I support the right of an employer to employ "at will" within reasonable limitations but it would be good if there were ways to keep everyone within those limitations without creating a whole other set of problems unintentionally.

Yeah, I hate unions, but I want my rights?  I'm confused.

What unions fight for goes beyond "rights"

Which is the problem.

Well yes, we organize and support political candidates who support our efforts.  After all, capital organizes, business organize, why not labor?  And we provide health care, retirement benefits, constantly work on working conditions like breaks and getting meals provided when we're on the job for 12, 16, or like the other day/night 20 hours on the clock continual.

Oh yeah, we try to prevent people from coming in and undercutting us too.  We insist - and get - standards written into law so that some clown off the street can't come in an say "I'll do that job for half of what your paying him."  Can't be done, because you have to have, by law, the certifications to do my job.  And either you're going to pay a lot of money to get the training, if you can find it, or you can join the union and get it for free.  Insisting on standards is not all that bad a deal.