City ordered to rehire Fire Department’s secretary

BRIDGEPORT - The city has been ordered to hire back the Fire Department’s executive secretary - with back pay - after she was fired last year and replaced with a non-union employee. “The management rights clause (of the collective bargain unit) does not give the city an unfettered right to eliminate a bargaining unit position and establish a new position outside of the bargaining unit to perform in essence the same duties,” said state Arbitrator Joseph Celentano, in ordering the city to rehire Mary Martinelli. Edward Gavin, the lawyer for the Bridgeport City Supervisor's Union, said the decision could cost the city $100,000.

from News http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/City-ordered-to-rehire-Fire-Department-s-12395211.php