Communication Workers of America

October 1, 2007

Bruce Nigro, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street , Floor 9
Newark , NJ , 07102

Step III Class Action Contractual Grievance
Reason for Absence or Illness Form
Article I. Purpose
Article IV. Work Schedules and Overtime
Article VII. Discipline
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination

Dear Mr. Nigro:

CWA Local 1081 submits this Step III Contractual Grievance on behalf of all of our Union's members to protest the attached memorandum of September 5, 200t written by Deputy Director Yvonne Davis to "All Division Directors, Administrative Supervisors, Unit Managers and Supervising Clerks Department of Citizen Services" entitled "Revised Memorandum-Request for Excused Tardiness".

Director Nigro's attached Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance denial response of September 26, 2006 is, respectfully, as illogical as it is insulting to the intelligence of our members and their Union . When he states, "If you read the cover memorandum clearly (sic) there is no requirement to complete the abovementioned form and thus no basis to grieve the issue", Mr. Nigro fails to mention the cover memorandum also does not state there is no requirement to "complete the abovementioned form". If the form were not required to be completed, why then was it included within the packet?

The attached form accompanying Ms. Davis' memorandum, entitled "Reason for Absence or Illness" clearly then does appear to require our members to produce a physician's note stating they are ill and whenever they complete the attached "Request for Excused Tardiness" form. The vast majority of our members who complete the form because they are "late reporting for work due to some condition or event beyond their control" do so for reasons other than illness. This fact renders the requisite "Reason for Absence or Illness" form illogical, inequitable and unjustifiable.

Therefore, the resolution CWA Local 1081 respectfully demands to this grievance consists of the following:

Management shall either remove the offending form from the packet or rewrite the memorandum more "clearly" so those employees reading it know for certain their responsibilities in this regard.

Sincerely,

David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081

C: Bruce Nigro
Yvonne Davis