Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter reflect the opinion and view of the author, and should not be construed as fact of advice. The author is a lifelong Middletown resident and taxpayer, and is sharing his opinion as such. The opinion and commentary do not reflect of any political party, organization, or citizen group. This commentray reflects opinions which the author wishes to share and are not necessarily the opinions of the editors or writers of the Middletown Eye.
Middletown
managers’ Union, UPSEU (United Public Service Employees Union) has filed three
(3) Union violation complaints against Mayor Daniel T. Drew. The complaints are on behalf of three (3)
female Union members regarding alleged discriminatory practices due to gender,
Union and/or political affiliation, and/or favoritism, or other reasons.
Since the
filing of the initial complaint by Board of Education Resource Director
Michelle DiMauro, two (2) more female Union members have come forward to file
similar complaints.
Debra
Stanley of the Recreation Department, and a female from the Planning,
Conservation and Development Department have filed the other two (2)
complaints.
Ms.
DiMauro’s issue began as a violation of the contract concerning a process for
requesting upgrading and job duty changes.
Ms. DiMauro was interviewed by the proper committee, and said committee
recommended changes to her job duties and wages. The next step was for City Human Resource
Director Thomas Tokarz, the Chairperson of the committee, to present and support
the recommendations before the Common Council for their vote. The HR Directors support of the
recommendation is a mandatory requirement for this committee. Instead, Director Tokarz took it upon himself
(which I don’t believe was his decision)
to present Ms. DiMauro’s recommendation to the Office of the General Counsel
(OGC) Committee for review and approval.
The OGC downgraded the Management Study Committees recommendation by two
(2) paygrades. Why? Contractual language is specific that it goes
directly to the Common Council.
Presenting it to the General Counsel office is what is called a “pass
through”. No action can or is taken by
their office because the contract language doesn’t allow for it, it’s more of a
courtesy. Why was there a deviation for Ms.
DiMauro’s position?
When
Director Tokarz was interviewed before the Common Council and asked multiple
questions of why this position was treated differently, there was no specific
or legitimate answer from him. Just so
there is clarity for my readers, Director Tokarz and Ms. DiMauro’s positions
are very similar, with the nod going to Ms. DiMauro. Why should she be paid differently than her
male counterpart? Additionally, two (2)
male employee upgrades recommended by the Management Study Committee were
approved during the Common Council meeting.
Now to the grievance
hearing part of this story. UPSEU’s
contract language for an employee grievance has criteria regarding who the
Mayor wishes to be the hearing officer.
It can be himself or his designee.
Mayor Drew did not want to be the hearing officer, so he designated
Faith Jackson, who is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity &
Diversity Management. Ms. Jackson heard
the City and Union sides of the grievance.
Next step was for Ms. Jackson to render a decision regarding the issues.
http://www.courant.com/community/middletown/hc-news-middletown-employee-complaint-20171211-story.html
What
transpired next is, for lack of a better word “sketchy”! A City Attorney, who was not present at the grievance
hearing, later intervened and attempted to take over the decision-making
process from Ms. Jackson. After back and forth with the Attorneys office, Ms.
Jackson prevailed.
Ms.
Jackson’s decision favors the Union, and her recommendations reflect the fact
that there was wrong doing on part of the City.
Ms. Jackson recommended that Ms. DiMauro’s wage complaint was
legitimate, and she should have been awarded a three (3) grade increase, which
would make her equal to Human Resource Director Tokarz. (Ms. Jackson’s decision also indicates
one of the male employees should not have been given the pay grade increase)
Let’s see if the City will adhere to the contractual process and agree with
their own designee’s decision favoring Ms. DiMauro. Or, will the City contest the decision? If they don’t abide with the grievance
hearing decision, it will only prove their disdain for female employees and
bargaining in good faith. It’s wait and see time.
Mayor Drew stated he has “complete confidence” in the work his Human Resource
Department does. How can you say that
with a straight face!
Mayor Daniel
T. Drew will try to distance himself from the claims that he had anything to do
with these three (3) female employees’ allegations. (My bet
is Director Tokarz will be the fall guy.)
It is what it is! Drew’s behind
the closed door ruthful behavior and retaliation is well known throughout the
City workforce. His public persona is
very cool and calculating. Employees are
afraid to disagree and get in his crosshairs, because they know how he will
react. He will make life miserable for
them. He will attempt to trump up
charges and allegations against them. Either you are loyal to Dan, or you will be
broken down until you are fired, or you quit.
Some have chosen the latter.
Mayor Drew
uses the Office of the General Counsel to do his dirty work for him. The General Counsel’s office is supposed to
do what’s best for the City, not profess their loyalty to a Mayor because
they’re afraid he will terminate them if they don’t. The OGC is supposed to
stop unlawful issues from occurring, not promote them.
I’m aware
Danny needs just cause to terminate an employee. Tell that to someone who he unjustly fires,
and has to wait two or more years for their case to be heard while waiting in
the unemployment line.
Because the
Mayor and General Counsels Office stuck their noses into the fray, UPSEU
President Geen Thazhampallath believed that Common Council members should know
what was happening to his Union members.
The Human Resource Department and General Counsel’s Office are owned by
Drew. President Thazhampallath informed
the Common Council members of what was going on, and the Council felt there was
enough evidence to react.
The three
(3) UPSEU employees who have filed Union complaints tells a story of how Mayor
Drew views the female workforce.
• Michelle
DiMauro: Job duties are the same or more
than her male counterpart, but is paid three (3) pay grades lower. In the past year or less, Ms. DiMauro has
received 124 emails on her work computer from Mayor Daniel T. Drew regarding
donating to his failed gubernatorial campaign (I requested this information
through FOIA). Is this a reason Drew has
it out for her? Because she didn’t give
him a donation?
• Planning,
Conservation & Development employee:
When first hired, the City sent her a “Letter of Intent” with salary,
benefits, and other employment related information in it. She asked if she could start at a higher
salary step other than Step 1 as it was less than what she was earning from her
former employer. The City, and then Human
Resource Director told her she could not, that she must start at Step 1 of her
wage scale. Dan was Mayor at this time.
Cut to now. The PD&C female
employee transfers to a new position within the City workforce. Her vacancy is filled by a new male hire at three
(3) pay steps higher than what she was hired at. What happened to you must start at Step
1?
• Debra Stanley: Ms. Stanley has been a Recreation Department &
Community Services employee for almost 25 years. She was appointed from Deputy Director to the
Acting Director of Recreation when Director Raymond Santostefano retired almost
five (5) years ago. To be placed in the
Acting capacity, one must be “qualified” to hold the position. Ms. Stanley applied for the vacancy when it
was posted, but someone from the Wesleyan University was hired. Ms. Stanley was informed by someone on the
interview panel that the process was rigged for the new Director. The new Director of Recreation &
Community Services is a female, whom was hired at Step 6 (maximum) of the
salary scale. Ms. Stanley did not
receive the same courtesy when she was performing the job.
• There has been a
vacancy for the Director of the IT Department for a couple or more years. The Assistant Director (must have been
qualified) filled in as the Acting Director until recently. Mayor Drew hired another Wesleyan University connected
person to become the IT Department Director.
A male, starting him three (3) paygrades higher than the initial starting
salary step. Seems like Dan doesn’t like
to hire from within. He has a knack of
demoralizing the workforce.
Mayor Drew owes Wesleyan
University. Perhaps after his political
career is over he can continue teaching political courses for them like he did
a year or so ago. Violating the City
Charter is nothing new for Dan.
• Don’t forget the
Mayor’s hire of non-qualified Planning, Conservation & Development Director
Joseph Samolis. Samolis was Drews
political aide in the Mayor’s office and not an employee. Joe started the PC&D job at maximum
salary. The Mayor is now going to hire a
Deputy Director for Joe, one with credentials’ he doesn’t possess. Word is out there that it will be a
politically connected contributor. I’ve
also heard this department wants to hire a Zoning Enforcement Officer who is
not qualified for the position. Way to
go Middletown. One of the most important
departments being orchestrated by non-qualified people. Bring on the consultants please! They don’t contribute big money to Dan’s
campaigns for nothing.
I understand that Mr. Samolis is in attendance during the interview
process. He was in attendance when the
City was looking for a PC&D director too, then decided he should be the
next Director, and Dan obliged.
•
Just so you all know, there is a vacancy for the Deputy Director of
Central Communications. A female
employee outside of the bargaining unit was given a Conditional Offer of Employment
by Mayor Daniel T. Drew. She
accepted. (A conditional offer means background checks have been completed,
references were called, employers were contacted, and so on.)
Now, Mayor Dan has asked his own nominee to voluntarily withdraw her name for
this job. She declined to do so. Why did he make this request? Because he is appointing a male employee from
Central Dispatch as the Deputy Director in her place. A candidate who has no supervisory
experience, which the position requires, and been there for only a few years.
I smell another lawsuit coming on!
How can I say that Mayor treats women differently than
men? Currently, there is a City employee
who has been suspended with pay for over a year. Claims of harassment were made against him by
several female employees. How and why do
you leave someone on paid administrative leave for this long? A decision to either keep or release this
employee hasn’t been made in over a year?
Is Mayor Drew waiting for this person to be eligible to receive a
pension? Ridiculous! A female employee would have been terminated
very quickly.
All I know is that Middletown’s workforce are dedicated
public sector employees and should not be treated this way by a Mayor, or anyone
else. After Attorney Mason completes the
Common Councils investigation into these allegations, and individuals are found
guilty, ALL of them should step down.
