Linda L. Batts was hired by the Department of Public Works in 2019 as its first equity director, charged with rooting out discriminatory employment practices at the agency’s water treatment and solid waste divisions. Two years later, in March 2021, she was fired.

Today she said she was terminated for not shutting up about a work culture she likened to a “plantation” whose straw bosses subject their employees, some on probation, to “inhumane working conditions,” racial and sex-based discrimination, and threats and acts of retaliation.

Announcing her filing of a Title VII Civil Rights lawsuit in federal court, she said she had been “uniformly castigated and ultimately terminated” by upper management for “doing her job of ferreting out civil rights violations against vulnerable populations at DPW.”

With a budget of $775 million and over 2,800 employees, DPW is the largest civilian agency in Baltimore government. Most are assigned to low-wage trash and recycling pickup, sewage treatment, rat control, alley clean-up and related jobs.

A retired federal employee and community activist, Batts, now 69, was hired by then-DPW Director Rudy Chow to identify civil rights compliance risks related to the agency’s employment practices and facilities. She was tasked to work directly with the mayor’s office of Equity and Civil Rights.

Some of the most flagrant examples of discrimination, she said, were at the Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant where white managers, including two division managers, systematically mistreated Black employees while favoring white employees.

In May 2020, when Batts tried to resolve a discrimination complaint filed by a Black employee, she said she was blocked by an attorney in the office of legal counsel.

Two months later, when a white male supervisor gestured to a Black female employee as if he had a gun and demanded “give me all of your money,” the agency allowed the supervisor to telework “rather than imposing more stern and immediate discipline,” her lawsuit alleges.

Indifference to Workers’ Civil Rights

At a press conference today in front of City Hall, Batts said the Scott administration pays lip service to protecting the civil rights of a largely Black workforce.

“The men and women who are supposed to uncover injustice inside of City Hall and as it affects our communities are not doing the work. But are on the payroll being compensated, and managers are allowing that to happen,” she said. “I got pushback when I tried to get managers and supervisors to be held accountable.”

In her lawsuit, she accuses Matthew Garbark (then acting, now permanent DPW director) and LaToya Curtis, human resources manager, of firing her because of her activism on behalf of workers.

“From late 2020 through early 2021, Plaintiff [Batts] pressed Acting Director Garbark to address the racially hostile conditions and conflicts of interest that obstructed civil rights enforcement. On February 24, 2021, Plaintiff reported to DPW’s internal auditor that HR investigations were biased . . . On or about March 5, 2021, Plaintiff arrived for a scheduled meeting with Acting Director Garbark to discuss unresolved civil rights matters. Instead, Acting Director Garbark and HR Director Curtis abruptly terminated her employment.”

“The City of Baltimore and its Department of Public Works remain committed to equity, inclusion and compliance”  – Mayor’s Office.

Asked for comment, the mayor’s office issued the following statement to The Brew:

“The City of Baltimore and its Department of Public Works remain committed to equity, inclusion and compliance with all applicable laws. As this matter is the subject of litigation, we will reserve comment for the appropriate judicial forum.”

Union Backing

The descriptions by Batts and her attorney, Thiru Vignarajah, of discriminatory practices at DPW mirror the findings of a “toxic” work environment, vindictive supervisors and poor physical conditions by Baltimore Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming in a series of reports (here and here) following the on-the-job deaths of Ronald Silver II and Timothy Cartwell.

“They can be replaced,” the ex-head of solid waste said in internal correspondence Cumming published.

Vignarajah noted that the new grassroots leadership at AFSCME Local 44 – which won the union election (twice) following the Cumming reports – is backing Batts’ lawsuit. The union represents nearly 1,000 DPW solid waste and water treatment employees.

“This is the very first time I have ever seen a representative of our local union standing in solidity in support for an employee who is mistreated. Clarence Thomas, along with Stancil McNair and their colleagues, promised a new era at Local 44, to speak up not only for the mayor and the agency heads, but on behalf of the employees,” Vignarajah said.

“Clarence Thomas [vice president of Local 44] and Linda Batts have been fighting these battles inside City Hall and on the streets. Now they’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder to say enough is enough.”