Friday, April 06, 2007

Bexar POs: Retention interviews retaliation for union support

As most readers know, the employment dispute between Bexar County probation officers and their director Bill Fitzgerald has escalated to litigation. I've obtained a copy of the lawsuit filed by Bexar County P.O.s against management over alleged retaliation at employees forming a labor union. The crux of the allegations:
Based upon the documented series of events and statements, the Plaintiffs deduce, believe, and charge that the Defendant forced them to reapply for their jobs and submit to “retention interviews” in order to punish them, to coerce them from seeking redress of grievances as a group or through union representatives, and to provide himself a cover to fire perceived leaders of the [unionization] activities
Not much in it that hasn't been in the papers, but detail on the whos, whats and whens of the union organizing timeline and specific alleged acts of retaliation may interest those who know the insiders involved. Read it for more detail on the dispute, which Grits covered previously here, here, and here.

The "retention interviews" with Bexar probation staff, last I heard, are still ongoing.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't union busting or retaliation illegal? Where' the ACLU?
Oh, that's right, we're in Texas, The Mid Evil State. Where's the ACLU (again)?

Gritsforbreakfast said...

You'd have to ask them. I don't work for ACLU any longer.

Anonymous said...

Should we call the ACLU? Seems to me the officers have a solid point on time line alone. Peolpe wait all year for Christmas and then to get this right before the holiday? Most bosses who are scared of unions are hiding something or have some reason to worry. A good union can make your job as boss very easy. Good call on the officers to file suit. Why have the judges not removed this guy before they are sitting in the middle of this lawsuit?

Anonymous said...

i think i know two judges who are at will by the people - that is if someone runs against them. shall i mention there names:

Mary Roman
Phillip Kazen

just ask OSCAR.

Anonymous said...

Everyone should remember that Judges are responsible for the hiring of the Probation Director - an at will position - AND that judges do not have immunity for administrative actions. Judges are only afforded immunity for judicial acts - mistakes made at trial or in court prevent someone from suing a judge. However, administratively the judges of Bexar County are subject to litigation for the actions of THEIR Director of Probation.
This legal filing could get interesting and expanded to include the Administrative Judge(s) in Bexar County.

Anonymous said...

As it should- The Judges know the problems and failed to act. If they hire and fire the chief then at some problem when the chief is not acting under the color of the law they become responsible. Kudo's to Judge Crouch, Judge Dehoyas and Judge Johnson , they tried to do what was right,fair, honest and good- but the other vipers got involved. It will all come out in the wash.

Anonymous said...

Be very careful about applauding those three judges! They were very cozy with the previous Chief L. C. Garcia and allowed him to do the very same things that the current Chief is doing! No judge in the courthouse cares about the cso's, period!