November 26, 2008
Bruce Nigro, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street, Floor 9
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance
Managerial Maltreatment of OCSE Members
Article I. Purpose
Article VII. Discipline
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination
Dear Mr. Nigro:
CWA Local 1081 submits this Step II Contractual Grievance on behalf of our Family Service Worker-titled members, assigned to the OCSE units within the Essex County Division of Welfare, to protest their following managerial maltreatment:
1. The agency’s administration has been constantly threatening our adversely affected members with involuntary transfers were they not to attain, and maintain, what our Union asserts are unreasonable production mandates.
2. While our adversely affected members have repeatedly requested training on computer child support guidelines, which represent the core of the judiciary consent processes, they have been repeatedly told by management that no such training shall be forthcoming.
The resolution CWA Local 1081 respectfully demands to this grievance consists of the following:
1. All of our Family Service Worker members assigned to the OCSE units shall be afforded computer training regarding the judiciary consent process.
2. The agency administration shall provide CWA Local 1081 a specific recounting of the exact number of cases that have been assigned each OCSE worker since the implementation of designated district numbers and caseloads.
3. The agency administration shall cease threatening our applicable members with involuntary transfers based upon specious standards exacerbated by inadequate training.
We seek a hearing, in this regard.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081
C: OCSE Unit CWA Local 1081 Members
Yvonne Davis, ECDW Deputy Director
Yvonne Cooper, ASFS, OCSE
Lynn Buckley, CWA Representative
Jennifer Velez, DHS Commissioner