A dispute between the government and the union representing law enforcement personnel in the St. Thomas-St. John District is the subject of an upcoming trial in Superior Court. Superior Court Judge Sigrid Tejo agreed to preside over a civil bench trial in August to hear details of an alleged illegal strike in June by members of the Police Benevolent Association Local 816.
Attorney General Gordon Rhea filed a complaint against the union on June 17 on behalf of Police Commissioner Mario Brooks. In court filings, Justice officials pointed to a period between June 15 and June 16 when more than 30 officers and school crossing guards called in sick from precincts across the district.
Rhea claimed the absences were coordinated among the participants and were “authorized, approved, and sanctioned” by Local 816 president Joel Browne Connors. “The failure of a large percentage of police officers to report for his/her assigned shift constitutes a reasonable basis for a court to conclude that the employees are engaging in concerted activity to voice displeasure with some aspect of their working conditions,” the attorney general said.
Justice officials sought and won a temporary restraining order on June 19 and were seeking a permanent injunction. Brooks and the government were also asking the union for reimbursement of administrative costs and court fees.
Tejo scheduled a hearing for July 9. A status conference was held July 8 by way of live stream videoconference. The Office of Collective Bargaining Chief Negotiator, Joss Springette, joined Tuesday’s status conference. The government told Tejo its witnesses would not be able to appear the following day.
Wednesday’s hearing was postponed, but by day’s end, the judge agreed to hear arguments from both sides at a bench trial scheduled for Aug. 11 at 9 a.m. Tejo gave all parties until Aug. 1 to notify the court if they could not appear that day.
The judge also noted that the TRO issued June 19 remains in effect.
St. Croix Source
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