The investigation was not conducted by a reputable law enforcement agency but by a law firm that was paid thousands of taxpayer dollars.
There was no investigation into the time period that the overtime was alleged to have been stolen by multiple DPW workers, condoned by a DPW supervisor, and brushed off as a “union issue” by DPW Superintendent Greg O’Neil.
Thefts of overtime occurring over the summer were reported to officials in September of 2018. DPW workers were tipped off of the allegations, effectively halting the bilking of OT.
Wilentz law firm attorney Stephanie Gironda was directed by Westfield Town Administrator Jim Gildea to conduct the independent investigation and to use payroll records from October 1, 2018 thru February 28, 2019 to conduct her search of OT theft.
Why didn’t the town administrator provide payroll records from the time period of when the thefts occurred? That time period was during the summer of 2018.
DPW employees admitted to the investigator that the summertime was when multiple names were being clocked out all at the same time, by one person, which garnered them substantial overtime for hours not worked on at least 23 different days.
The DPW employee who filed the grievance if he/she REALLY wants the TRUTH to come out they need to contact the Courier News, Star Ledger and other News outlets like Channel 2,4 7 and 11 to tell their story. You want to see action, you would see action IMMEDIATELY. Why in this day and age people are NOT just speaking publicly i do not understand. You are not going to lose your job you have a Union contract by which to stand behind and protect you. These Supervisors and Department Heads and your own Union Rep's who were involved need to be held accountable, they were not just STEALING from the Town and the Tax payers but they were Stealing from YOU the employee who has filed the Grievance and the other DPW employee's who may/should have gotten that Overtime. This is what UNIONS were developed for, "to protect the workers" if wrong doing's were happening. It is very clear from reading all of the comments that not ONLY the DPW employee who filed the grievance knows what was going on but so do MANY other DPW employee's, you ALL need to stand UNITED and SPEAK UP!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen the union representative and the shop steward’s integrity have been compromised, there is no protection.
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ReplyDeleteThe Westfield DPW Supt. Greg O’Neil knew what was going on. He was advised of the issue by a supervisor and told the supervisor, “Its a union issue.” That’s quoted in the report written by the lawyer hired by Jim Gildea.
The superintendent blew off his responsibility.
Somebody call Geraldo!
ReplyDeleteBrindle is drinking the Koolaid
ReplyDeleteThis was a well established scheme that has gone on for years and cost the town big bucks. Workers have been stealing overtime from supervisors on down. I know because I worked for the town and it was being done then and was still being done years later. The town will do nothing because it would ensnare a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteGildea is covering for O’Neil. If O’Neil and his corrupt supervisor Rob K. go down for this, they will take Gildea with them. They all have the goods on each other and will rat on each other to save themselves.
ReplyDeleteHeard the mayor is in negotiations with HBO to do a tel-all documentary. ;)
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