Council Approves Contract for Four Employees, Meets Arbitrator's Terms
Mayor Joseph Polisena explained that the vote ends a two-year arbitration case for a contract that covers four employees.
On Monday night, the Johnston Town Council approved a new contract for four town employees represented by the Laborers International Union of North America, Local 808.
The vote, taken during the council's meeting held at Johnston Municipal Court, ends a two-year arbitration process, and in an interview at Town Hall on Tuesday, Mayor Joseph Polisena recalled the origins of the case.
"When I had first come here, [late former Mayor William] Macera had allowed eight of his so-called professional staff people to join the union, including his secretary — and when I came in, I fired them all," Polisena explained. "I abolished all the positions, we went to arbitration then, and the arbitrator awarded four positions back [and said] I could pick the four."
The staff positions are controller, budget analyst, town planner, and deputy tax collector, Polisena said — positions that are not typically covered by union contracts.
"[Macera] allowed them to join the union — I thought that management people should not be in the union, and I got 50 percent of the pie," explained Polisena.
According to Polisena, the new contract is retroactive to 2010 and expires at the end of fiscal 2013.
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Johnston Municipal Court
1600 Atwood Ave, Johnston, RI -
Johnston Town Hall
1385 Hartford Ave, Johnston, RI (Johnston Town Hall)
Peter A. Filippi III
10:15 am on Sunday, June 3, 2012
The bottom line is we need Right to Work legislation like other states are passing so taxpayers aren’t dictated to by these communistic unions. In Wisconsin since they passed that legislation including making it voluntary to pay union dues half the public employees walked away from the unions, their state deficit is going into surplus and they have created 23,603 jobs etc… Why isn’t our mayor demanding this legislation from our town representation? I think we all know that answer, Peter A. Filippi III
Robert "Bobby" Giarusso
7:08 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2012
Don't let the Mayor fool you. Polisina is a union guy. He puts on a good public front. Firing the 8 employees when he took office wasn't about saving money. It was about politics. He wanted to say he was cutting staff. Then, when no one was looking, he'd bring in his own team. The Mayor is working hard to push his agenda and serve the interests of his friends and supporters. Look at this town. It's a mess. Within 1 mile of Town Hall there must be a half dozen vacant buildings, our taxes keep going up, and we get less and less with each passing year.
Peter A. Filippi III
7:23 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2012
Bobby G.
We’re lucky to have the Johnston Patch so good folks like you can contact others who are equally concerned with all the finances of our town. I’ve been going through the contracts and highlighting the provisions and can only hope I have touched a few hearts and changed a few minds so if I run for mayor we may have a chance. At this time I’m working on presentations with the bottom line being empowering the taxpayers who should have total control over all our financial concerns as in throwing out the contracts and standing up to this legislature that is synonymous with everything that is wrong in the world. You’re a good man, Peter A. Filippi III PS we must inform our like minded friends and family of this sight. JTAXASSOC@AOL.COM