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NO EFFORT MADE
The person bringing the original grievance about, was the same person presiding over the grievance meeting. The complaint was based on what one person supposedly told another person who supposedly told the supervisor. ( third hand ) The same supervisor was the direct supervisor of my supposed union steward. Would any reasonable person really believe that this supervisor making the accusation was going to find against himself ?
On top of that my steward, said nothing. This was after “meeting with me to devise his approach.” ( or as I certainly believe, report directly to his supervisor to gain favor.) This entire farce was too extreme to be anything but planned. At the end of one grievance meeting in which my steward said not a word, after the other parties left the room, He said to me “You are being railroaded”
Is this steward talk for anything good ?

Add to this the fact that my steward had never attended one other grievance meeting as a steward period, a fact that no one would verify to me for about one year, and the fact that for about two months He told me daily as I asked, that He had filed an appeal to the first meeting outcome- an action that had never been taken. ( this was an out and out lie to keep me from filling for an appeal myself ) As well, this fact was stated to be a known lie by ” the previous steward in a conversation with me while I was at the local 171 office doing research. Also as I have stated elsewhere I have never received proof that my steward ever attended steward training. ( to this day ) I know He only attended ONE local 171 meeting because I went to the office asked for all the minutes of a years local meetings and scanned the roll call for those present. He attended a TOTAL of ONE meeting - where he was proclaimed a steward. ( not much interest or enthusiasm ) on his part.
This is but a drop in the “agenda” bucket on someone’s part. And only a small part of the mishandling and non-representation I received over a matter as serious as my employment after eighteen and a half years.

To say:
I received NO representation
Would be a gross understatement…
I received NO representation deliberately from afscme -
And found myself vs. management and local171 reps. That were lying directly to me.

These people are responsible for taking my employment and my families insurance.

I was un represented.

Dave W

The person bringing the original grievance about, was the same person presiding over the grievance meeting. The complaint was based on what one person supposedly told another person who supposedly told the supervisor . ( third hand ) The same supervisor was the direct supervisor of my supposed union steward. Would any reasonable person really believe that this supervisor making the accusation was going to find against himself ?

You seem to be suggesting that there’s a disconnect between Abelson and AFSCME members. But it’s AFSCME members who saw Abelson make the gaffe’s he has which led to pro-Walker Supervisors getting elected. If they’re comfortable with him at the helm, then they’re about to be tested.

Taking responsibility when contract negotiations are on the brink means a strike vote.

If county employees are willing and able to strike over their health insurance premiums, Abelson should lead in that direction and take Walker head on. The race to the bottom has to end, and why not here? Supervisors should join them on the picket lines, not focus on Ableson’s bad judgement when talking to the Journal Sentinel.

Milwaukee County shouldn’t be in the business of feeding the low wage, no health benefit economy — especially when we’re talking health care reform in the state. Can supervisors sit on their hands while Walker deteriorates both the job market and quality of life in the county?

The board is by statute supposed to make legislative decisions for the county but Walker has the right to make administrative changes.

Also, the janitors need to get active in supporting county elected officials who support them and I’m not just talking about their unions writing checks. A campaign without foot soldiers is a campaign that can only succeed by raising boatloads of cash.

On the other hand, Abelson makes a critical error in pointing fingers at the county, describing Walker and the Board as “clearly dysfunctional.” Wake up Abelson, the Board and the County Executive are oppositional forces — they do not agree. Did Abelson think the question was: Is this your fault, Rich?

The Board has tried to help AFSCME District 48 in these negotiations by extending funding for those positions. Walker threw it back in the Board’s face and is today reportedly lining up plans to privatize the services represented by those 120 positions.

Abelson needs to get to work and find a way to work with Walker and the board to save those jobs. If he doesn’t, Gibb Building Maintenance, a bottom-feeding cleaning company that pays its janitors the bare minimum with no health insurance, will be cleaning the courthouse by the end of the month.