December 14, 2007
Bruce Nigro, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street, Floor 9
Newark, NJ , 07102
Re: Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance
A-OC Unit
Precarious and Prejudiced Relocation
Article I. Purpose
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination
Article VII. Discipline
Article XXX. Work Distribution and Practices
Article XLIX. Safety of Staff
Dear Mr. Nigro:
CWA Local 1081 submits this Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance on behalf of all of our Family Service Worker members assigned to the A-OC Unit to protest managements planned precarious and prejudiced relocation of them from the second floor of the privately-owned 18 Rector Street building to the sixth floor of that facility scheduled for Monday, December 17, 2007:
- As per the attached photographs our Union took today of the booths to which our aggrieved members are to be reassigned, the requisite precarious placement of pictured clients’ interviewing chairs contiguous to our affected members’ desks represents a clear danger considering how narrow the walk areas are, especially were clients to more likely than not bring child carriages with them.
- The pictured interviewing arrangement represents a prejudiced circumstance for the clients to be interviewed due to the lack of space available precipitated by the close proximity they will be compelled to endure as agency workers other than those interviewing them and other clients both pass by them and/or are seated extremely closely to them.
The resolution CWA Local 1081 respectfully demands to this grievance consists of the following:
- Management shall immediately direct the relocation of the A-OC Unit not to occur on Monday, December 17, 2007.
- Management shall meet with our Union to together tour the area and review the situation.
- Management shall find another, more suitable, area to which to relocate the members of the A-OC Unit.
We seek a hearing, in this regard.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President, CWA Local 1081