July 2011Page two<strong>NLRB</strong> <strong>NEWS</strong>:ConnecticutContact the Region:There is always an informationofficer available between 8:30am and 5:00 pm at the HartfordRegional office, by phone at(860) 240-3522 or in person at450 Main St. in Hartford, toanswer general workplacerelated inquiries or to discuss aspecific workplace problem orquestion. The informationofficer can offer informationabout the NLRA and advice asto whether it appears to beappropriate to file an unfairlabor practice charge or apetition. If filing a charge orpetition appears to beappropriate, the informationofficer will assist you incompleting the charge orpetition form.Information is also available onthe <strong>Board</strong>’s website atwww.nlrb.gov, which has a linkto the Hartford Regional Officewebpage featuring newsletters,news releases and local casesand decisions.WE ARE AT YOUR SERVICEFor assistance in filing a charge or a petition,Call the Regional Office at(860) 240-3522 and ask for the information officer.The information officer will discuss the situation andassist you in filling out a charge or petition. Information is availableduring office hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or atwww.nlrb.govESTAMOS A SU SERVICIOPara asistencia de someter una carga o peticiónLlame la oficial de información en oficina regional a(860) 240-3522.La oficial de información discutirá su situación y le ayudará si deseeSometer una carga o petición. Información esta dispuesta a ustedmientras las horas de servicio - lunes a viernes, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, owww.nlrb.govRegion 34 Professional Staff RosterAGENT TELEPHONE E-MAIL - @nlrb.govJonathan Kreisberg, Reg. Dir. 860-240-3004 Jonathan.KreisbergJohn Cotter, Deputy Reg. Dir. 860-240-3003 John.CotterMichael Cass, Supervisory Ex. 860-240-3524 Michael.CassTerri Craig, Deputy Reg. Atty. 860-240-3532 Terri.CraigDina Emirzian, Compliance Off. 860-240-3006 Dina.EmirzianThomas Quigley, Field Attorney 860-240-3375 Thomas.QuigleyMargaret Lareau, Field Attorney 860-240-3561 Margaret.LareauLindsey Kotulski, Field Attorney 860-240-3525 Lindsey.KotulskiCatalina Arango, Field Attorney 860-240-3826 Catalina.ArangoJennifer Dease, Field Attorney 860-240-3376 Jennifer.DeaseRick Concepcion, Field Attorney 860-240-3374 Rick.ConcepcionClaire Sellers, Field Attorney 860-240-3557 Claire.SellersSheldon Smith, Field Attorney 860-240-3539 Sheldon.SmithHeather Williams, Field Exam. 860-240-3545 April.WilliamsGrant Dodds, Field Examiner 860-240-3567 Grant.DoddsJohn McGrath, Field Attorney 860-240-3527 John.McGrathThuy Le, Student Asst-Field Ex. 860-240-4981 Thuy.Le
July 2011Page three<strong>NLRB</strong> <strong>NEWS</strong>:ConnecticutHow to File an Unfair<strong>Labor</strong> Practice (ULP)Charge: Anyone may file a ULPcharge with the <strong>NLRB</strong> bysubmitting a charge form toany Regional Office. Theform identifies the parties tothe charge and includes abrief statement of the basisfor the charge, and must besigned by the charging party. Forms are available on the<strong>NLRB</strong> website, or may beobtained from any <strong>NLRB</strong>regional office. The HartfordRegional Office hasinformation officers availableto assist with the filing ofcharges. You must file the chargewithin 6 months of theunfair labor practice.When a Charge is Filed: The <strong>NLRB</strong> Regional Officewill investigate. Thecharging party is responsiblefor promptly presentingevidence in support of thecharge, which usuallyconsists of a sworn statementand documentation of keyevents. The Region will ask thecharged party to present aresponse to the charge, andwill further investigate thecharge to establish all facts. After a full investigation, theRegion will determinewhether or not the charge hasmerit.Regional Office Unfair <strong>Labor</strong> Practice NewsSettlement reached in Complaints alleging Unfair <strong>Labor</strong>Practice Strike at Four Connecticut Nursing HomesA Connecticut nursing home operator agreed to settle a case involvingmultiple allegations of unlawful suspensions, discharges and unilateralchanges by offering reinstatement and backpay to all discharged andstriking workers, and signing a new three-year collective bargainingagreement with its employees’ union, New England Health CareEmployees Union District 1199, SEIU.The settlement, which was reached midway through a hearing beforean <strong>NLRB</strong> administrative law judge in the Hartford Regional Office andapproved by the judge in May, ends a long-running dispute which grewinto a strike by almost 400 employees at four nursing homes inConnecticut operated by Spectrum Healthcare. Along with the contractand reinstatement of all employees, Spectrum agreed to pay $545,000 inbackpay and pension benefits to employees who were harmed by theunfair labor practices, and to expunge any disciplinary records related tothe case. As a result, all <strong>NLRB</strong> charges against the company have beenwithdrawn. Spectrum admitted to no wrongdoing in the settlement.Complaints issued by the Hartford Regional Office alleged that,beginning in the fall of 2009, several months after the prior collectivebargaining agreement expired, Spectrum discharged seven employees andsuspended three others to retaliate against their union activities and todiscourage other employees from supporting the union. In addition, oneemployee was discharged and seven others were suspended afterSpectrum unilaterally changed its tardiness discipline policy without firstbargaining with the union. The complaints further alleged that in April2010, employees at the four nursing homes -- in Derby, Ansonia,Winsted, and Hartford -- went on strike to protest the unfair laborpractices. When the strikers offered unconditionally to return to work inlate August, Spectrum refused to take them back. Under federal labor law,if a strike is called because of an unfair labor practice, employees areentitled to reinstatement after an unconditional offer to return to work.Hartford Field Attorney Rick Concepcion investigated and litigated thecase for the Hartford Regional Office, and was instrumental in securingthe terms of the settlement.