Saturday, November 19, 2005
WARREN -- A Warren Water Department worker has filed suit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court seeking to be reinstated to the job he was fired from in September.
Gary Harris of Dodge Drive Northwest names as defendants the city, Mayor Michael O'Brien, Service Director William D. Franklin, Human Resources director Gary C. Cicero, Water Department director Robert Davis, assistant Water Department director Michael Thigpen, union steward Richard Radich, and AFSCME Local 74 President William Aiosa.
In the suit, assigned to Judge Andrew Logan, Harris states Franklin suspended him Sept. 27 and he was fired two days later "without evidence of wrongdoing on his part, and in violation of the labor contract" between AFSCME and the city.
The suit says Harris has been a faithful and diligent employee and that he has not had any disciplinary violations during his employment and that work evaluations have ranged from satisfactory to very good.
City officials could not be reached to comment Friday.
The suit says that the defendants misled and misinformed Harris as to his rights and his status as an employee and that he was denied due process.
It says Harris is innocent of any misconduct that would justify disciplinary action being taken against him. He seeks reinstatement to his job without loss of seniority and with back pay. He also seeks court and legal costs associated with the action.