Since my junior year in high school, I have been working in the same local supermarket. My main job was for me to get the bread set up ready before the following day. After working in the bakery for quite some time, I began to notice the difference between how I have been treated compared to other co-workers. At first, I didn’t notice the differences but as time passed I saw how they were making me do work that others in my department have never done. For example, the manager of the store realized that the ceiling of the bakery department was dirty and had accumulated pesticides. He told me to go up and clean the ceiling; he gave me no mask to protect myself from the pesticides. He just told me to go up and use Windex and clean the ceiling. I was hesitant at first but I completed the task without asking why. At the time, I was still new so I didn’t want to mention anything to my boss so I just did as I was told. Now as this continued to happen I asked my coworkers, who were white, if they were ever told to complete this task. They all answered saying that none of them have ever been told to clean the ceiling and don’t know of anyone in the store who has. They couldn’t believe that I was cleaning the ceilings full of pesticides. For the past four years, they have been making me do this and it’s not my job to do so. For this job, they should be hiring a cleaning crew to come in at night and clean the store. So I asked another Latino in the store who has been working there for more than ten years how he is treated. He answered saying that they have asked him do things around the store that aren’t under his job description as well. Over the years, I’ve seen that the manager feels like it is okay for me to clean the ceilings even though that can potentially harm my health. It is not only happening to me but other Hispanic employees as well. However, I try to be a good employee and listen. The same is true for the other Latinos in the store who have not said anything to the manager and continue to perform these tasks.
1. Is discrimination taking place in this job assignment situation?
2. If it is, what should I do next? This job is important to me and I don’t want to lose it.
3. Will the fact that I agreed to perform these dirty and dangerous tasks affect my case? I was always taught to work hard and earn the money I am paid. Was that the wrong thing to do?
