It is not too often you will hear me singing the praises of Mayor Bronin. I just don't usually agree with his management style or his communication skills, or maybe I should say lack of communication skills.
But when he does something right, I want to be fair and say it.
Bronin's interaction with our City's Unions has been terrible. Much of it accomplished through his condescending management style and the lack of communication skills I previously mentioned.
Maybe Luke has started to realize that he is not always necessarily the smartest person in the room and he actually wants to listen.
To that end, Bronion has apparently offered to meet with the various Union's membership for an informational session. The invitation to all personnel at HPD was extended on behalf of the Mayor through an e-mail from Chief Rovella earlier today.
Apparently the Mayor "is making himself available" for employees to ask questions and for the Mayor to address their concerns. If this is a sincere effort, it might actually produce some results.The meeting has been scheduled for Thursday May 25th from 4:00 to 5:30PM at the Quirk Auditorium (also home of the Hartford Police Academy)
The media apparently is not open to the Media, according to Rovella's email.
Sadly though, Chief Rovella's e-mail was met a couple hours later by an e-mail from Hartford Police Union President John Szewczyk, Jr. urging his membership to attend. That request was followed by a reminder from the Union President to his membership to "not forget to put in for overtime/comp time" for all off duty personnel who choose to attend.
Being paid to attend an off duty informational session is not a show of good faith to be partners in working on the City's financial problems. I am sure many of the Union's members have questions to ask directly of Bronin and may actually put some of their fears at rest.
City employees need to understand that they have had a good deal for many years and now it is time to bring them into line with private sector employees. No where in the private sector would attendance in Union meetings be allowed on Company time and definitely not while being compensated with overtime pay.
President Szewczyk, your efforts to obtain a reasonable contract for your membership have been applauded by many here on this very blog. Urging your members to put in for time and a half pay to ask questions , and get honest answers , hopefully, from the Mayor, should be reconsidered to continue building on goodwill with both City Hall and the community .
