Council 4 Union Demands Impact Bargaining Over Merger of East Lyme and Waterford Dispatch Operations
New Britain, CT, Feb. 1, 2012 — Council 4 AFSCME, the union representing East Lyme dispatchers, says the Town of Waterford has a legal obligation to bargain the impact of an agreement with East Lyme to share dispatch operations.
In a letter to Waterford First Selectman Dan Steward, Council 4 Staff Representative Wayne Meyers wrote the following:
“It has come to the attention of the Union that the Town of Waterford will be the new employer for members of AFSCME Local 1303-436. Due to the fact that the members being merged are union employees under a current contract, the union demands to negotiate the impacts of said merger.”
Meyers is the chief negotiator for AFSCME Local 1303-436, the East Lyme Town Dispatchers. He also sent copies of the letter to East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica and the entire Waterford Representative Town Meeting.
The dispatch merger first requires the approval of the Waterford RTM.
Justin
6:26 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
The union "Demands"
I demand you dig a hole and go live in it! Stop ruining this country.
Wayne
7:25 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
"Demand to Negotiate" is a legal term. I understand that you don't understand.
Molly
12:02 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Finally we will have a voice with the terms of our future/career.
Bill
2:51 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Molly, unfortunetly it wont be in East Lyme. First Selectman, & PD of East Lyme are determined to make this happen. They've been meeting for a long long time on this. Of course everybody wasnt made privey to it. If the ELPD wants to go to Waterford go ahead, Leave the dispatch center alone. Once again the Fire Services and EMS Services ARE NOT FOR THIS MOVE. and will lose 4 Rep. to 2 Dem vote. Say goodbye to Fire & EMS as we knew it.
Molly
4:17 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Bill I agree. The sad thing is the a few officers of the ELPD (who could get hired initially in Wtfd) spurred this deal, somehow we got dragged into it, now we are going, they aren't. The PD's contract was voted on by BOS last eve and goes to 2014, so the so called "money savings" to the town of East Lyme by getting rid of the resident trooper program won't be until after that - during the "election year".
Our first responsibility as dispatchers for the town of East Lyme has always been to the fire & ambulance service, we help the pd if we are available. Their dispatch is the State police which the town taxpayers already pays for, and now will be paying Waterford for Fire & amb dispatching. They are being double taxed. Tax payers have already paid for 1.5 million upgrade to East Lyme's dispatch (town taxes, ambulance fund, state & federal grant money). By the sounds of it the taxpayers will have to still pay to keep the EL dispatch center upgraded and running , in addition to paying Waterford for the dispatch services. What a racket - hey I got a bridge for sale!
Last evening EL 1st selectman appolized to the board as for Waterford's 1st Selectmans actions, stating he was disappointed with Mr Steward's action. I believe it will be the 1st of many. This merge is on Waterford's terms. The interlocal agreement available at Waterford town clerk office proves that.
J. Domler
6:17 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
From this and the original article, it sounds like a lot of back room town politics and dirty deals are going down. Not good. There's always something to hide in deals like this, and I hope people dig down and figure out what's really going on here.
If the towns want to do this the right way, it should have never been what sounds like a big secret from the get-go. Why don't the towns go in to a true regional center, and not have it under control by Waterford, but by an independent agency. There's going to be obvious bais by Waterford here, and East Lyme is going to get stung. EL says they're going to save money, but in the meantime their taxes are going to go up from many other purchases like the property in the north side of town and the high school field renovations. It's like saving ten cents to go out and spend a hundred bucks.
Good for you east lyme dispatchers for standing up for what you know and believe in, don't take this lying down!
Bill
6:24 am on Friday, February 3, 2012
J. Domier, oh man, I couldnt agree with you more. Meetings on this "great merger" have been taking place for months, 7 to be exact. All these meetings took place with no one from Fire, EMS, Dispatchers, or EL Town Selectman knowing about it. Also, we (East Lyme Services) never would have known about this except for hearing it from Waterford. Which tells me EL knew there was going to be problems. Also, Molly, good luck selling that bridge, I heck of a time getting rid of it.