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Hamden Public Works Unit #1. Left to Right: President Brian L’Ecuyer, Steward Mike Pitcher, Vice President Doug Fraser |
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Following tornadic activity in the summer of 2020, the Town of Hamden chose to outsource various clean-up projects in the following weeks at its schools and golf course to a private contractor, despite the availability of bargaining unit personnel in the Public Works Department who could have performed the work quickly, efficiently, and at a lower cost. Upon joining UPSEU in August 2021, Labor Relations Representative Scott Nabel made resolving this issue a priority for the bargaining unit. Scott commented, “Once the Town of Hamden finally understood that UPSEU would not stop until members were fairly compensated, their tone changed and we made steady progress in righting this wrong on behalf of our members.” As a result of the tenacity of Unit President Brian L’Ecuyer, Vice-President Doug Fraser, and Steward Mike Pitcher, the Town of Hamden finally paid all eight (8) of the impacted current members of the Tree Crew, as well as retired members, between $1,000 and $1,100 each for lost overtime opportunity they incurred in 2020.
Mike Pitcher, Senior Tree Climber and Unit Steward expressed his appreciation, “We have been trying to resolve this issue for over a year and a half, and I am happy and thankful that Scott and UPSEU never gave up in fighting for a successful resolution.”
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