The internal investigation continues into a labor dispute
between equipment operators and Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation leaders at the local maintenance department over
promotions and managing techniques.
The “protest” led to a nearly three-hour delay in trucks being
sent out to treat icy highways across the region the morning of
April 5. The action has also led angry residents and local leaders
to call for the dismissal of those responsible, something which has
not happened yet.
On Monday, Ron Keim, assistant district executive for
maintenance for PennDOT, said the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) “is cooperating with
management on investigating the matter.”
The union represents the equipment operators. There was no word
on whether an independent investigation into the matter could be an
option.
“The union was concerned because there was no organized protest
sanctioned by either local or district union officials,” Keim said.
“The investigation is ongoing and is continuing this week and once
it’s concluded, we’ll review more of the details at that
point.”
Keim declined to answer any further questions regarding the
April 5 problems, during which nobody was seriously hurt or any
fatalities reported. The incident resulted in scores of accidents,
school districts pushing back the start of classes and major
highways – including U.S. Route 219 from the New York state line to
Lantz Corners and Route 770 – from being passable.
Crews from local Department of Public Works entities helped
clear state routes until PennDOT crews arrived. At least one local
municipality, the City of Bradford, is looking into billing the
agency for its expenses.
Meanwhile, state Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, told The Era
that the people who should have been out there working and didn’t
show up should be terminated, noting somebody could have been
killed over the incident.
PennDOT officials have acknowledged there were communications
issues between both sides and vowed the problems of last week
wouldn’t happen again.
According to an employee of the local maintenance department,
who declined to be identified by The Era, the crux of the problems
came about after a group of “A operators” – who make less money
than “B operators” who have more seniority – were up for promotions
and were told recently they wouldn’t be forthcoming. The individual
also complained about micromanagment from two assistant county
managers.
Meanwhile, the individual said not all the crews were called out
that morning, with the Bradford and Smethport crews that didn’t
show up for work being reprimanded by PennDOT officials at the
Mount Alton maintenance facility.
That same individual, in contacting The Era again Friday, said
“I don’t see how anyone feels good about what happened, as far as
the roads go. I think it’s very fortunate nobody was killed. Where
else can you go and it doesn’t matter if you do your job or you
don’t do your job, but they have no recourse to fire you?”
The individual added “some of the guys who didn’t come to work
Wednesday morning are laughing about this. They know they are
protected by the contract.”
However, it wasn’t a laughing matter for those trying to make
their way to work and other locations that morning.
In a letter to the editor appearing in today’s edition of The
Era, Bradford City Police Lt. Carl Milks wrote, while on his way to
work around 6:30 a.m. that morning, he discovered two minor
crashes. He also reiterated what Police Chief Roger Sager
previously said, noting PennDOT was notified of the icy conditions
on two separate occasions that morning, but did not respond.
Milks wrote the U.S. Route 219 Bradford Bypass was closed after
more than five vehicles had slid into guide and median rails.
“There was literally 1/2 inch of solid clear ice on the
roadway,” Milks wrote. “When two officers slipped and fell while
trying to put flares out, it was time to close it down …”
“In my professional opinion, this three-hour delay jeopardized
the safety and lives of hundreds of commuters … I don’t know what
caused this breakdown, but those responsible, whether it be at the
top or all the way down, should be reprimanded and ashamed to put
so many at risk.”
Neither PennDOT District Executive Kevin Kline or Community
Relations Coordinator Marla Fannin were available for comment
Monday afternoon.
