Union may file a greivance against an Eagle Scout for taking their jobs* WITH AUDIO

[shrubber]

City workers' union may file a greivance against an Eagle Scout for cleaning a walking trail, taking their jobs

http://www.mcall.com/news/all-a8_5scout.7084728nov15,0,6238384.story

In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park.

Little did the do-gooder know that his altruistic act would put him in the cross hairs of the city's largest municipal union.

Nick Balzano, president of the local Service Employees International Union, told Allentown City Council Tuesday that the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park.

"We'll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails," Balzano told the council.

 

[shirleyb]

My DS just finished painting park pavilions for his Eagle Scout project and he's putting in 3 benches as well at the community park. Luckily, the only employee in our small town is thrilled he's doing it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm guessing the city didn't fund this project.

I'm also guessing the union doesn't go file grievances against folks who are doing litter patrol as community service.

Things like this make unions appear VERY BAD!

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

I think it is terrible that negativity has to be attached to any scout that is doing good for his/her community. Shame on those adults!

 

[glitterkittyy]

If the workers had been doing their jobs properly, it wouldn't have taken 200 hours to clean it up!

 

[shrubber]

Service Employees International Union, ...SEIU ,SEIU, ...... where have I heard that name before?............

Full disclosure,
I am a Boy Scout Leader and Girl Scout Leader........

 

[NikitaZee]

I agree, articles like this do make the union look bad.

However, the article says the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing the work to be done, not the Eagle Scout. I do wonder what they could possibly mean by "looking into" the scout who did the trails? What could there be to look into?

 

[Leenk]

I generally support unions, but this is RIDICULOUS!

Okay, maybe I'm a little biased because my little brother got his Eagle Scout this year after working his butt off for it. His old middle school have this hillside above the football stadium that's eroding badly. After every heavy rainfall, the stadium bleachers and steps are covered in slick mud. So apparently the school administrators have it on their to-do list for years, but it never gets done and the problem just gets worse and worse. They just power wash the seats before football games and leave it at that. So my brother took up the job as his eagle project and collected donations for materials to build a retaining wall. After months of hard work, the wall is built and the problem is solved. However, we still hear comments from various people asking why a kid should do something like that, isn't that the school's job?

 

[shrubber]

I agree, articles like this do make the union look bad.

However, the article says the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing the work to be done, not the Eagle Scout. I do wonder what they could possibly mean by "looking into" the scout who did the trails? What could there be to look into?

Perhaps they will issue a strongly worded letter....which I suppose the Scout will recycle as kindling for the Troops next campfire.

 

[RadioNate]

I love how this line

"We are probably going to let this one go," Balzano said .

was conveniently left out of the cut and paste.

If the workers had been doing their jobs properly, it wouldn't have taken 200 hours to clean it up!

I agree the Union looks like jerks but I did want to mention that the workers didn't do the path clearing job because they had been laid off by the city.

The article isn't the most stellar example of journalistic writing but I think the union is upset that 39 people were laid off while the city allowed an volunteer to do the job. I guess they think the city is under obligation to hire their workers for jobs that need to be done and not staff those jobs with volunteers or non-union members. This came on top of the city, post-layoffs, using non-union electricians. An issue that the union let go.

I don't necessarily agree with the union but I think that is why they are making a stink.

 

[NikitaZee]

I love how this line

"We are probably going to let this one go," Balzano said .

was conveniently left out of the cut and paste.



I agree the Union looks like jerks but I did want to mention that the workers didn't do the path clearing job because they had been laid off by the city.

The article isn't the most stellar example of journalistic writing but I think the union is upset that 39 people were laid off while the city allowed an volunteer to do the job. I guess they think the city is under obligation to hire their workers for jobs that need to be done and not staff those jobs with volunteers or non-union members. This came on top of the city, post-layoffs, using non-union electricians. An issue that the union let go.

I don't necessarily agree with the union but I think that is why they are making a stink.

I had a feeling there was more to this story. While it's still not the best public relations story, the union has a valid point here IMO.

 

[glitterkittyy]

I agree the Union looks like jerks but I did want to mention that the workers didn't do the path clearing job because they had been laid off by the city.

The article isn't the most stellar example of journalistic writing but I think the union is upset that 39 people were laid off while the city allowed an volunteer to do the job. I guess they think the city is under obligation to hire their workers for jobs that need to be done and not staff those jobs with volunteers or non-union members. This came on top of the city, post-layoffs, using non-union electricians. An issue that the union let go.

I don't necessarily agree with the union but I think that is why they are making a stink.

Ah, well that'll teach me not to read up before commenting. Okay, it probably won't teach me, but thanks for the info anyway. That changes things a bit, doesn't it?

 

[shrubber]

I had a feeling there was more to this story. While it's still not the best public relations story, the union has a valid point here IMO.

you've got to be kidding right? A valid point? How?

 

[RadioNate]

Ah, well that'll teach me not to read up before commenting. Okay, it probably won't teach me, but thanks for the info anyway. That changes things a bit, doesn't it?

A little.

But the OP wanted to make sure we knew the big bad union was going after the poor do gooding Eagle Scout.

** full disclosure, I am an assistant cub scout leader, my dad was an eagle scout, my mom, by condition of her employment, was a member of the IEA, and I'm not a member of any union.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park.

"We'll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails," Balzano told the council.[/I]

1 - yes, the city allowed this to happen. The city did not pay to have this happen. Big difference. The scout worked his rear off to make this small area a better, nicer place to be around. For free. Gratis. Volunteer. No salary or personal financial gain of any kind.

2 - good. Look into the heart of an Eagle scout. You'll find something there that obviously doesn't exist in your own.

I live a stone's throw from Allentown and about 15 minutes from Center Valley. My son will be working on his own Eagle project in a few short years.

Kudos to Kevin and a big, fat, juicy raspberry (there are many other words I'd like to type but I'm tyring to keep this as family friendly as I can!) to the union!!!!!

 

[NikitaZee]

you've got to be kidding right? A valid point? How?

Laying off union employees and using non-union electricians to do the work. They are trying to keep their members working.

 

[Geoff_M]

...I think the union is upset that 39 people were laid off while the city allowed an volunteer to do the job. I guess they think the city is under obligation to hire their workers for jobs that need to be done and not staff those jobs with volunteers or non-union members.

I think that might be a misinterpretation of the situation. The idea for the trail was the Scout's, not the city's. This isn't a case of the city taking an existing project and pulling it away from city workers and giving it to volunteers. By their nature, Eagle Scout projects aren't supposed to be dictated by the beneficiary of the work to the Scout trying to earn his Eagle. The genesis of the idea is supposed to be the youth's. Councils are supposed to reject project ideas presented for prior approval that are merely projects "pulled off the shelf" and handed to the Scout.


(Eagle, class of 1979, Scoutmaster since 1995)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had a feeling there was more to this story. While it's still not the best public relations story, the union has a valid point here IMO.

I don't agree.

Unless they can attribute the layoff to the plans this boy scout had and then delayed the project until AFTER the layoff, it doesn't really correlate.

Crap has happened in city budgets all over the country and often volunteers will step forward and do a project that the city was unable to start.


Yes--there is more to the story....and they aren't saying.

 

[Geoff_M]

Laying off union employees and using non-union electricians to do the work. They are trying to keep their members working.

Correction, they hired an "outside" union electrician.

 

[RadioNate]

I think that might be a misinterpretation of the situation. The idea for the trail was the Scout's, not the city's. This isn't a case of the city taking an existing project and pulling it away from city workers and giving it to volunteers. By their nature, Eagle Scout projects aren't supposed to be dictated by the beneficiary of the work to the Scout trying to earn his Eagle. The genesis of the idea is supposed to be the youth. Councils are supposed to reject project ideas presented for prior approval that are merely projects "pulled off the shelf" and handed to the Scout.


(Eagle, class of 1979, Scoutmaster since 1995)

Maybe. I'm just going from what I thought the article was saying. I'm not exactly sure of what Eagle scout requirements are. We aren't there yet and even though my dad still talks about it, we don't get into the process.

Your scenario leaves me confused as to why the union would be upset but I guess sometimes it doesn't take much.