Mayor Toni Harp has issued a written warning to her chief administrative officer after he thrice told a union official “Let’s take this outside” during a heated meeting.
Her action drew a rebuke from the executive director of the AFSCME Council 4, an umbrella union that includes AFSCME Local 3144, which represents over 400 city government management employees.
The confrontation took place March 30 during a disciplinary hearing involving Alan Bush, chief steward for Local 3144. City Chief Administrative Officer Mike Carter got into a heated argument with Local 3144 Vice-Chair Harold Brooks, during which he made the remark. Brooks said he interpreted the remark as a physical threat. Police were called.
Carter was escorted from the room. Then he apologized to Brooks. He said he never intended the remark as a physical threat.
AFSCME officials called on Mayor Harp to fire Carter for violating the city’s zero-tolerance workplace violence policy. Harp subsequently said during an appearance on WNHH radio that she felt Carter had erred but that he had not committed violence, and that “ramifications,” but not firing, was called for. She subsequently wrote him the warning letter.
“[T]hat was not an acceptable way for you to act as a representative of the City,” Harp wrote in the letter, dated Monday. She wrote that she was “following up with this written warning to make clear that I do not condone your actions and they will not be tolerated. As the City’s Chief Administrator, I expect you to maintain a high level of professionalism and decorum at all times, particularly in the more challenging situations.”
Harp added that she “appreciates” Carter “acknowledging that you should not have responded as you did. I understand that you are sincerely apologetic for your behavior and will handle such matters differently in the future.” She wrote that Carter would send Brooks “a formal letter of apology.”
AFSCME Council 4 Executive Director Sal Luciano issued the following statement Thursday in response:
“We are disappointed in Mayor Harp for diminishing the abusive and threatening behavior of a top administrator. Mr. Carter’s actions were clearly a violation of the City’s zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence.
“On April 3, Mayor Harp told WNHH radio there would be ‘ramifications’ for Carter’s actions. Those ‘ramifications’ turned out to be a polite letter of warning. Mr. Carter should have been held to a higher standard of conduct and behavior. I can only imagine what the consequences might have looked had the roles been reversed, with a front-line employee acting as the aggressor, and issuing threats to an administrator.
“I wish the Mayor demonstrated the same level of respect and concern for Harold Brooks and Alan Bush, the union’s chief steward, that she did for a top manager.
“Sadly, last week’s altercation is the latest indicator of a troubling pattern of harassment, intimidation and otherwise unlawful behavior. The Harp administration is wasting taxpayer dollars fighting the union on numerous fronts with the intent of significantly weakening if not destroying its ability to serve as a strong, independent voice for New Haven public workers.
“Cooperation, not confrontation, should rule the day. It’s not too late. Otherwise New Haven City Hall will become Tammany Hall.”