Connecticut Town Ordered to Pay for Union Workers’ Coffee

Connecticut Town Ordered to Pay for Union Workers’ Coffee

By Todd Starnes

Published March 04, 2011

| FoxNews.com


A Connecticut town must provide their union workers free coffee and milk, according to a ruling from the State Board of Labor Relations.

The board also ordered town leaders to reinstate “Dress Down Fridays” for the union clerical and custodial workers.

The dispute involved the town of Orange and the local chapter of the United Public Service Employees Union.

The board determined the town retaliated against the union members for comments they made at a finance meeting in 2009.

Read More: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/04/connecticut-town-ordered-pay-union-workers-coffee/

Why would I care about this? Does it affect me in any way? I don't live in this town in Connecticut.

Looking into this further I see a local newspaper story that the town has been ordered to REINSTATE the free coffee and milk policy it always had..


"According to documents, one day after union leaders spoke out at the finance meeting about their concerns that excessive legal funds were spent on contract negotiations, First Selectman James Zeoli eliminated the free coffee and milk, and a day later he ended dress-down Fridays.

The labor board said the long-standing practice had been for the building inspector to buy the coffee and milk and then get reimbursed by the town."

http://www.ctbulletin.com/articles/2011 ... 240727.txt

The order affects 12 people. 12 people in Connecticut. We're in Colorado facing rising gas prices and all sort sorts of problems and you wanna discuss whether 12 guys in Connecticut get their coffee privileges restored? It must be a left-wing conspiracy to keep our eye off the ball of what's REALLY important.

Kresspin:

You do realize that there are thousands of posting on this forum, don't you? You choose to read and reply to one that you are not interested in. This isn't mandatory reading.

I think it is interesting that Union workers get to have the taxpayers pay for their coffee and milk. I think personally that this is an abuse of power, and it brings to light the difference between Public and Private sector Unions. The article I posted said the same things that you quoted from another source.

Sorry if you think that this story wasted your time, I thought it was an interesting topic.

According to documents, one day after union leaders spoke out at the finance meeting about their concerns that excessive legal funds were spent on contract negotiations,

It would be relevant if it were thousands of union workers and they never had coffee or milk paid for previously.

It's not when it involves only 12 people who used to have that privilege but it was taken away when they exercised their right of free speech and it involves less than $10.

Sometimes you sound like a closet liberal.

I guess that my backing away from attacking others won't protect me from others attacking me. One thing you should know for sure Kresspin is that I am not in the closet about anything.

The fact that you say it is just $10 IMO doesn't resolve anything. If it was a larger Union, only, to you, it would have relevance.

It is still a matter of taxpayers paying for them. That is the problem to me. Entitlement to 1 or thousands makes this one small step towards us turning into Greece. This entitlement mentality is where I have a problem. You can trivialize it all you like.

It is still a matter of taxpayers paying for them. That is the problem to me. Entitlement to 1 or thousands makes this one small step towards us turning into Greece. This entitlement mentality is where I have a problem. You can trivialize it all you like.

I agree!

My point is YOU were the one who speculated in another post that all this trivial stuff may have been the work of lefties trying to get righties to take their eye off the ball -- the gigantic problems that face the nation today.

Posted about 12 guys in a city department in Connecticut getting their coffee restored could certainly be considered one of those trivial matters when compared to what we should be looking at as gas prices are about go through the roof and further wreck the economy.

It's obviously important to you and you think it will send us down the road to Greece... I just happen to disagree.

Stating you sound like a closet liberal is not attacking you, but if I hurt your feelings, I apologize.

After reading this:
The board determined the town retaliated against the union members for comments they made at a finance meeting in 2009.

and this:
Wayne Gilbert, the regional director of the union, told Fox News Radio this was a case about an elected official who intimidated workers because they exercised their First Amendment rights by speaking out at the finance meeting.

“This is not about free coffee,” Gilbert said. “The complaint was filed because First Selectman Zeloi is a workplace bully.”
“He bullies the workers around, he bullies the union officials around and if you disagree with him in a very civil way, he starts yelling and screaming and calling you names,” he said.

This story sounds more like an abuse of power by one Selectman in government and his vengence than an abuse of power by the union. By abusing his power, the Selectman actually cost the taxpayers $10,000 in legal fees. Was it worth it? I personally don't think so. I am more concerned with elected officials who abuse their positions for their own egos. If the Tea Party saw it as an abuse and overreach of government powers, I'd be more inclined to be supportive.

Exactly. Instead, they focus on free coffee for 12 workers (that they had before) and how it's going to lead us down the road to Greece.