Dec 15, 2008 11:16 pm US/Eastern
Workers In Chelsea Take A Snow Day After Ice Storm
CHELSEA (WBZ) ―
-
-
Despite balmy temperatures outside Chelsea City Hall on Monday, half of the city's clerical workers took yet another day off – with pay.
WBZ
The terrible ice storm of 2008 was selective in its destruction. It devastated some communities while leaving others just a few miles away, untouched.
But now a story is surfacing of how the storm affected one community that never lost power at all.
The culprit? Bureaucracy, and the work of contract negotiators years ago, who left the city of Chelsea vulnerable to fallout from the ice storm in a way that few anticipated.
It started last Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick declared a State of Emergency. For cities and towns under siege, it was a necessary step.
"Unfortunately for Chelsea, even though the storm didn't affect the community, the declaration of the State of Emergency did," said Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash as he watched helplessly as some City Hall workers turned around and went home for the day on Friday, as their contract permits them to do.
And on Monday, despite balmy temperatures outside Chelsea City Hall, half of the city's clerical workers took yet another day off – with pay.
"Their contract says that they are entitled to go home because of the State of Emergency, they've been advised to go home and they've followed suit," said Ash.
It's costing cash-strapped Chelsea about $5,000 a day, and at mid-afternoon on Monday, it was hurry up and wait at the parking clerk's office.
"I think I share the same feeling that many mayors and managers feel around the state," said Ash. "We wish there were more management rights to control the work conditions in our communities. Unfortunately we have collective bargaining agreements that dictate things like this and we are almost powerless to do anything about it… The emergency did not hit here, we should not be acting like there is an emergency."
WBZ left repeated messages for the brass at Local 188 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents workers in question. They did not call back.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association says it has no idea how many public employees across the state have the right to essentially take a snow day with pay, even when it's pushing 70 degrees outside.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments