Union Files Complaint Against Oxford School Board

Editor's Note: The following news release comes from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees:

Council 4 AFSCME, a union which represents employees including clerks, secretaries, janitors, paraprofessionals and other non-teaching certified staff, is looking to the Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations to resolve a formal complaint over (what the union says is) the Oxford Board of Education’s unlawful treatment of four school clerks.

Council 4 filed a labor board complaint last June against the Oxford Board of Education,* asserting it violated the legal rights of members of AFSCME Local 1303-413 (which represents school secretaries, clerks and bookkeepers) by unilaterally slashing the work hours and taking away critical health care benefits from the four clerks.

The State Labor Board will hold a formal hearing into Council 4’s complaint on Jan. 25, 2012 in Wethersfield.

“The Oxford Board of Education acted unlawfully and showed complete disregard for a dedicated group of workers who are also Oxford residents,” said Council 4 Staff Representative Victoria Lynn DeFrank, negotiator for AFSCME Local 1303-413. “We look forward to arguing our case before the State Labor Board, and we expect justice will be served.”

In the complaint (which is attached as a PDF to this article), Council 4 is demanding the Board of Education cease and desist from violating the collective bargaining agreement and make members of the school secretaries’ union whole (with interest) for their losses.

*Note: Oxford Board of Education Chairwoman Paula Guillet did not return a call seeking comment Friday, when the news release was submitted to Oxford Patch. Oxford school Business Manager Rosemary Hanson said she could not discuss the issue because it is considered "pending litigation."

issue, which Oxford Patch first reported in the spring.