Woman fired by bigot - Hired by Kerry

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:29am

I'm not sure if this has been discussed on this board yet.


This is a story of Lynne Gobbell of Moulton, Ala., who on Sept. 9 was fired from her job at Enviromate, a company that makes housing insulation, for driving to work with a Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker in the rear windshield of her Chevy Lumina. The person who did the firing was Phil Geddes, who owns the company and is an enthusiastic Bush supporter. (Although Gobbell hasn't done any proselytizing for Kerry at Enviromate, Geddes distributed a flyer to all Enviromate employees explaining why they should vote for Bush.) Here is how Gobbell related her story to Clyde Stancil of the Decatur Daily News:

"We were going back to work from break, and my manager told me that Phil said to remove the sticker off my car or I was fired," she said. "I told him that Phil couldn't tell me who to vote for. He said, 'Go tell him.' "

She went to [Geddes'] office, knocked on the door and entered on his orders.

"Phil and another man who works there were there," she said. "I asked him if he said to remove the sticker and he said, 'Yes, I did.' I told him he couldn't tell me who to vote for. When I told him that, he told me, 'I own this place.' I told him he still couldn't tell me who to vote for."

Gobbell said [Geddes] told her to "get out of here."

"I asked him if I was fired and he told me he was thinking about it," she said. "I said, 'Well, am I fired?' He hollered and said, 'Get out of here and shut the door.' "

She said her manager was standing in another room and she asked him if that meant for her to go back to work or go home. The manager told her to go back to work, but he came back a few minutes later and said, "I reckon you're fired. You could either work for him or John Kerry," Gobbell said.

"I took off my gloves and threw them in the garbage and left," Gobbell said.

The story was picked up by Daily Kos, a political Web log, and spread quickly around the Web. By this morning, Geddes, who has declined to comment publicly on the matter, had apparently had enough of the bad publicity. Through an intermediary, he offered Gobbell an apology and said she could have her old job back. But Gobbell said she wouldn't return without some written guarantee that Geddes wouldn't turn around and fire her once he was out of the spotlight. Then, late this afternoon, Kerry himself phoned Gobbell. "He was telling me how proud he was that I stood up," Gobbell told me. "He'd read the part where Phil said I could either work for him or work for John Kerry. He said, 'you let him know you're working for me as of today.' I was just so shocked."

Gobbell accepted Kerry's job offer, "so I reckon I'll be working for John Kerry." Kerry left it that someone from his campaign would call Gobbell to work out the details. Let's hope there's quick follow-through (I'll be checking!) because Gobbell told me she couldn't wait to tell Geddes that she had a better offer.

She has already started her job.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:31am

I've heard that story before. Probably here, actually. But I don't mind hearing it again. :) Updated On: 10/15/04 at 12:31 AM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 1:04am

That's a great story.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 8:26am

It was incorrect for her to get fired for that. She should have sued.

It was nothing but political pandering for Kerry to hire her.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 8:50am

So you're saying Kerry shouldn't have hired her and she should remain out of work, Rodney?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:02am

Not to put words in your mouth, RK, but if Kerry hadn't hired the woman, I can so easily picture you posting a "Why didn't Kerry give her a job?" complaint. Political pandering? I think not.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:44am

Yep, it was political pandering to a degree. BIG DEAL. I applaud Kerry for taking the opportunity. All political parties pander -- it's the American way.

At least Kerry "pandered" by doing something positive for this woman.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:47am

I have to agree with Rodney - since Kerry had no idea of her qualifications or experience - all he did was hear that story and then tell someone immediately to hire her. Let's consider how many qualified and experienced people have probably been clamoring to work for him.

Updated On: 10/15/04 at 09:47 AM

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:51am

This is an update to the story :

Moulton woman who lost job to tell story, promote Kerry

By Clyde L. Stancil
DAILY Staff Writer
[e-mail] · 340-2443

MOULTON — A Moulton woman who was hired by John Kerry said she hopes to meet the Democratic presidential nominee on a Florida campaign stop next week, where she also could get chance to address the party faithful.

"I'm going to thank him right off the bat," said Lynne Gobbell.

Until then, she will busy herself doing radio interviews from her home and from the office that the Democratic National Committee is providing her in Decatur. Gobbell said that she already has given an interview to a Norfolk, Va., radio station, and plans to give another to a station today in Huntsville.

Gobbell, 41, said that she is looking forward to the Florida trip. She is not sure how she will get there, and is a bit anxious about flying in an airplane, which is something that she has never done before.

Kerry hired her to work for the DNC on Tuesday after reading a DAILY story about how her employer allegedly fired her for displaying a Kerry-Edwards political sticker. The sticker was on the rear windshield of her car.

In her Decatur office, Gobbell said that she will report to attorney Brian Oakes, the Morgan County Democratic Party's chairman.

She will work 60 hours a week, about the same number of hours she worked as a machine operator for Enviromate. Gobbell said that she also will earn the same salary that she earned before Enviromate owner Philip A. Geddes allegedly fired her for refusing to remove the political sticker.

Gobbell also will receive a benefits package to which DNC employees are entitled.

"I get the full benefits," Gobbell said. "Medical, dental and vision for me and my husband, Kenneth."

Leslie Dach, a senior adviser with the DNC, said Gobbell's job will last throughout Kerry's campaign. The election is Nov. 2. "She'll be talking to various folks, letting them know why she has agreed to spread the message about why America can do better with John Kerry," he said.

Dach said the DNC is still trying to work out the details about where Gobbell will spread her message and when she will meet Kerry.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:53am

So she is perfectly well-qualified for what they hired her for- to give pro-Kerry testimonials. I wonder if Bush pays his bizarre "example families." :P

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:56am

Oy vey. A campaign sticker on your car now qualifies you for a full time spokesperson job?? Who knew it was so easy??

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 9:56am

Technically, the employer had a right to fire her. While I'm not familiar with the laws of that state, federal laws do not guarantee her the right to express her political opinion at work. If her car was parked on the employer's property, he does have the right to tell her to remove the bumper sticker.

I think it was political pandering by Kerry. When the Kerry campaign is finished, is he going to keep her in his employ? Probably not.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:02am

Yes, it was pandering. But I'd rather hear about a woman who's still getting salary and benefits rather than trying to live off her savings because she put a Kerry sticker on her car.

Political affiliation isn't one of the things (along with race, gender, etc.) that you can't use as a basis for employment? Didn't know that.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:02am

check this out:
even more information...

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:04am

All well and good, redhot - but I know plenty of people who could be spokespeople for Kerry who have the training and experience for the job, along with the necessary passion. What that guy did was reprehensible, but it doesn't make that woman qualified for a spokesperson job. That's all I'm saying.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:05am

Her ex boss gets creepier all the time. Thanks for the added update.

[mominator]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:08am

Thanks redhot! Another question is were the people who had Bush stickers also fired?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:10am

You only have a case if it is based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Furthermore, when you are on an employer's property, there are certain legal rights that an employer has.

Once again, I don't know the laws of this state. The state could have a law that says no discrimination against political beliefs. But they would still have to work through the employer's property laws.

If this woman is smart, she'll hire a Republican lawyer that argues campaigning for Kerry was a disability. LOL

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:10am

"Oy vey. A campaign sticker on your car now qualifies you for a full time spokesperson job?? Who knew it was so easy??"

No shat. If it were that easy Bush would have to make me Secretary of Commerce or something

[mominator]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:10am

Not when it comes to your car.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:17am

Updated On: 10/15/04 at 10:17 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 10:18am

you're absolutely right.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:31am

If she did have a case, the boss could always plead not guilty By Reason Of Mental Defect - I mean, you would have to be crazy to still support Bush.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:32am

that's a pretty ass-in-head thing to say, even for you.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:36am

I'm just responding to Gothamps comment "If this woman is smart, she'll hire a Republican lawyer that argues campaigning for Kerry was a disability."

And Rodney - anything negative from you means I must have said something right.

edit - both my previous comment and the one above should be taken jokingly - thats how they are meant. Updated On: 10/15/04 at 11:36 AM