In recent weeks, I have discovered an interesting numbers
game that Hunt is playing with disciplinary interviews. Accuse everyone of being
a spy for the media or the EPA (or both) and see who confesses. Folks I've never
even heard of in jobs that I barely even knew existed are being accused of
getting close and personal with me. Actually, I'm making a lot of new friends
through this whole process, I never knew there were so many good and honest people
that oppose the current regime's practices.
Understand this: if Hunt or your supervisor is questioning
you about this, they are fishing. They know little or nothing, but they don't
want you to know that. Hunt has, in the past, shown little respect for the
niceties of due process in disciplinary actions. If he knew anything, you'd
already be fired.
Understand this also: you are not alone, not by a long shot.
It's a numbers game, Hunt is doing this to quite a few people hoping he'll get
lucky.
Know that there really is a light at the end of the
tunnel, this paranoiac situation will not last forever. In the meantime, your
mouth, and your mouth alone, will get you into trouble here. I don't give out
info about my sources of information -- if I did, Hunt wouldn't be so desperate
to find out who my sources are. Neither does Herb Levine. Neither does Dan Green
at the EPA. Neither does
AFSCME until it becomes time to file a formal grievance.
Aside from being morally and ethically reprehensible (open
government -- anyone remember the concept?), this fishing expedition of Hunt's
is very legally questionable. With the EPA's criminal investigation still going
strong, phrases like "witness tampering" and "obstruction of justice"
immediately leap to mind.
Bring out... The Comfy Chair!
There's a few things you can do to protect yourself.
1.) Call the union immediately. Going into Hunt's
(or any supervisor's) office on any disciplinary-related matter without bringing
along a union rep is not a good idea. You are entitled to union representation
on these types of matters, it is your right. You are paying for such
representation with your union dues. The city is obligated to tell you
that you are entitled to bring along a union rep. If anyone in management tells
you that union representation won't be necessary and that you shouldn't worry about it, bells
and alarms should be sounding off in your head.
2.) Contact an attorney. If you have been promoted
up and out of union representation, an attorney is the only protection you have
available. Get one and get some advice.
3.) Deny everything and ask to speak with a union rep. You have done nothing wrong.
You have done nothing illegal. You have done nothing immoral or unethical. Quite
the contrary, if you have divulged information that results in the exposure of
wrongdoing, you have committed an act of heroic civil disobedience. In spite of what Hunt spouts
and in spite of contrary information in city documents, you are actually
allowed to talk to anyone you want to about anything (with some obvious and
self-explanatory exceptions involving privacy and security). Citizens and the
media have the right to know what is going on within their government.
4.) Write it down. After you get home, sit down and write
out to the best of your memory everything that was said, both by you, Hunt and
by anyone else that is in a supervisory position over you that had anything to
do with the accusation or the questioning. The more detailed, the better.
5.) Report it. Send the info out in an e-mail using your
home computer. DO NOT use your work computer to do this. Send out a copy of what
you have written to the following three e-mail addresses:
Mike Temple, Regional Director of AFSCME
e-mail
address: mikeetemple@hotmail.com
web site:
www.afscmefl.org/tampa.htm
Even if you aren't a union member, send it off as the numbers of these
complaints will aid AFSCME at a later date should there be a need. It will also
help you, even if you aren't a union member.
Dan Green, criminal investigator for the EPA
e-mail
address: Green.Daniel@epamail.epa.gov
web site: www.epa.gov
Yes, the EPA is still investigating, yes the investigation is advancing towards
a conclusion, and yes, this is a VERY serious criminal investigation. Why do you
think the level of paranoia is so high, anyway? Why do you think you were
dragged into this fracas? This behavior, especially if the questioning involves
the EPA, crosses the legal line into
obstruction, and this info will help Green immensely.
John Patten, Venice Florida! dot com
e-mail address:
jpatten@veniceflorida.com
phone: 941-484-0488
I will not release this info, won't even write about it. The current level of
paranoia tells me that this thing will all blow over soon, that the EPA will be
cleaning some major clocks. Once that happens, a whole lot of folks in power
need to be taken to task publicly for creating an atmosphere of terror. I'll
need to know who was questioned when about what. The more complaints and stories
I have, the better armed I (and you, by implication) will be in seeing that this
madness never happens again. You can also feel free to call me day, night or
ridiculously early in the morning -- I'm single and I keep odd hours, there's
really no telling when I'll be sleeping and I don't mind being awakened.
6.) Join AFSCME. Today. Yesterday would be even better. The union has promised to be
more vigorous in its grievance process, and there is every indication that they
are dead serious. As indicated by the recent Pell decision, the city is
vulnerable when they do stupid stuff, and they are doing a lot of stupid stuff
lately when it comes to worker relations. The union can't protect you if you
aren't a dues paying member, and your money goes to help defend yourself and
others who are in the same boat.
7.) Join AFSCME. That's twice I wrote that. Why? Because
in these crazed and paranoiac times, not being an AFSCME dues-paying member is about as
bright as going bungee-jumping without a bungee cord. As a member of the union,
you are a protected class. The city knows who is and who isn't paying union
dues. If your attitude is that you'll join the union when you need them, then
you will probably end up joining the union too late for AFSCME to be of any use
to you.
Has this already happened to you and you've kept silent?
Bad idea. Safety in numbers and all that. Start sending out the e-mails.
