Opinion ID: 778432
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Suspension of Oneita Jane Say

Text: 39 On August 2, 1995, Union Steward Oneita Say and Gloria Culp, then President of Local 585, visited Tamara Montell, the Grandview administrator, to discuss problems that employees had raised with Say concerning supervisor Donna Puleo's conduct. Montell told Say and Culp that she found the allegations hard to believe, but that she would investigate the matters and get back to them. The next day, when Say began her shift, Puleo approached Say, began hounding her about her conversation with Montell, and accused her of lying. Say responded that as a union steward, her job required her to present complaints and problems of her coworkers on the eleven to seven shift, which she was doing by speaking with Montell. 40 On August 4, 1995, Puleo provided Montell a written account accusing Say of making false or misleading statements, resident neglect, and of insubordination. Say was also given an associate memorandum suspending her pending further investigation for allegedly violating rule 1.6 by making false or misleading work-related statements concerning co-workers and for subordination. Culp, who was present when Say was given the memorandum, responded that the Union did not agree with the suspension because the new disciplinary policies that had been put into effect had not been first negotiated by the Union. Angela Huffman, director of nursing at Grandview, later investigated the complaint and concluded that Say would be given the opportunity to return to work after a two-week suspension. 41 At a bargaining session on August 7, 1995, Haer raised the issue of the suspension as an example of what the Union objected to under rule 1.6 and as one of the reasons that the Union wanted to bargain over the new disciplinary policies. Beverly Health's representative again reiterated that Beverly Health would not bargain about its disciplinary policy. Haer then questioned how Beverly Health could distinguish between a false statement and a genuine misunderstanding. Beverly Health responded that such issues were resolved in the grievance procedures. 42