Update: Director of state employees' largest union 'on paid leave'
12:07 PM Thu, Nov 06, 2008 | Permalink
Email
 |
 |
Projo 7 to 7 News BlogTaking the news pulse of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, by Providence Journal and projo.com staff, from 7 to 7, every business day |
|
Get the 7 to 7 on your mobile at www.projo.com. Twitter: projo | RSS | Email alerts
« Providence Place owner talks of selling some properties |
Main
| Some syringes sold at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club recalled »
By Katherine Gregg and Cynthia Needham The president of the largest state employees union, J. Michael Downey, confirmed today that his union's executive board voted unanimously last night to place executive director Dennis Grilli on paid administrative leave from his $105,000 job. Asked the reason for the move, Downey said: "To move Council 94 in a new direction.'' In the absence of a full-time executive director, Downey, a plumber at the University of Rhode Island, said he intends to be more "involved with the daily operations of the council...and try to get more involvement from the members....(which is) difficult to do with people who have been there all this time.'' He anticipated the union would also rely more on its deputy director, Joseph Peckham. Grilli confirmed this morning that he is "on paid leave'' from his post as the executive director of Council 94, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees. Grilli said he will be on paid administrative leave until January. He has been executive director of the union since fall 2005. An attendant and mental-health worker at the state hospital from 1976-198787, Grilli of Smithfield, worked his way up the union ladder. Among his promises heading into his new union job: "building stronger lines of communication to Council 94's members . . . providing excellent representation . . . aggressively organizing new members and enhancing our lobbying and political action programs." Council 94 represents an estimated 3,500 municipal employees and a third of the state's 13,000 workers. 
CommentsLeave a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
Tags 
New comments
New photos
New posts
Projo blogs
Archives
He should be on UNPAID leave. He's an idiot who does not do anything for anyone unless it is going to benefit him!!
Report Abuse
Never mind unpaid leave. He should be fired along with the rest of the Union. He gets paid health benefits. He is a loser who did not negotiate in good faith for the membership. He and Downey are all about themselves and what they can get
Report Abuse
Its about time they got rid of him. But getting paid-who wouldnt take that what kind of punishment is that its more like a vacation wheres he going until January Florida on our money. Get rid of that Union we should all join the laborers union and get a pension like them. Council 94 is a joke. There all crooks. Its all about what they can get.
Report Abuse
Dennis Grilli is a real union leader and this is an outrage. Unions should treat their own employees better!
Report Abuse
He is absolutely useless. He did not negotiate in good faith. How can he still be getting paid. I am glad that he is still benefitting from his stupidity. Why don't we just send him on an all expence paid trip to a tropical island.
Report Abuse
Personally I think the Council 94 should be forced to keep him. Why should they get to rid themselves of ineffectiveness but we have to put up with all the ineffective state workers? Double-standard if you ask me! Fight on Grilli!
Report Abuse