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.
