is suing the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) union in an effort to block arbitration for two part-time dispatcher/correction officers who are trying to fight being passed over for a move to full-time hours. According to the court documents obtained by linkinglewiscounty.com, the union claims that two part-time dispatchers, (Denyse Hastwell and Anna Austin) with more time and experience, were not offered a move to full-time hours, while another candidate with less time and experience was ultimately given the additional hours. The union filed a request on February 26th for arbitration in the matter. The union views the move to full-time hours as a promotion, while the county maintains that under the current collective bargaining agreement all three of the part-time employees were eligible for the increase in hours and that the sheriff holds the ultimate decision in who receives them. The county does not view the move to be a promotion, just an increase in hours. The lawsuit filed by the county seeks a stay on the arbitration. A copy of the collective bargaining agreement and supporting documents in the case can be found in the link at the end of the story. It should be noted that the employee who received the increase in hours, Rebecca MacKenzie, is the wife of Robert A. MacKenzie III, the county’s emergency services director and fire coordinator. The lawsuit joins a list of litigation currently involving the Sheriff's Department, including a lawsuit requesting a grievance hearing filed in February by former Dispatcher Michelle Widrick; a lawsuit filed in September by former Deputy Daryl Ortlieb claiming he was forced to resign and looks to withdraw the resignation; and a $10 million notice of claim filed in December by the family of Jarrod Hurley, an inmate that apparently committed suicide while incarcerated at the county jail in November, leaving the door open for a future lawsuit. Supporting Documents: Notice of Petition in the matter of Lewis County vs CSEA Local 1000 Affidavit in Support of Petition in the matter of Lewis County vs CSEA Local 1000 |
| County Files Lawsuit Against CSEA Union Over Request For Arbitration on Behalf of Two Dispatchers 03/23/16 10:30am |
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