Public Works Union Files Labor Complaints Against Town of Avon

The Connecticut chapter of a national union representing Avon Public Works employees has filed two "unfair labor complaints" against the town regarding its employment of temporary employee.

The complaints were filed in June with the Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations in Wethersfield.

Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) claims that the town of Avon "violated state statute by employing a temporary worker for more than 120 consecutive calendar days" and "knowingly employed the individual with sub-par wages and no benefits in direct conflict with previous rulings of the Labor Board," according to a press release from Council 4 spokesperson Larry Dorman.

The New Britain-based local labor union said in its release that the temporary employee, who was not named in the release, was also "denied the legal right to join the union through acts of intimidation."

“We believe the Town of Avon, through the offices of Human Resources Director William Vernile and Assistant Public Works Director Alex Trujillo, has acted unlawfully and showed complete disregard for the legal rights of public works employees,” Council 4 Field Representative David Testa said in the release. “We look forward to arguing our case before the State Labor Board and we expect justice will be served.”

The town of Avon denies the claims being brought against it. 

"The Town disagrees with the Union complaints which will be thoroughly responded to by the Town at the appropriate time with the State Board of Labor Relations," Human Resources Director William Vernile wrote in an email to Patch. 

To resolve the matter, the union is asking for the complainant to be reinstated "as a 40-hour-a-week employee" and placed "in the Local 1303-096 bargaining unit," the New Britain-based union said in a press release. 

The state's labor board will soon hold an informal hearing addressing the complaints, according to the union.