| Council Allows Police Captains To Join Union In Split Vote New London By KATE MORAN In a reversal of its previous decision, the City Council voted 4-3 Monday night to allow the police department's three captains to join the police union. The captains, William Dittman, Michael Lacey and Kenneth Edwards Jr., voted in March to join the union, but the city administration appealed their vote to the state labor board. In April, the council directed City Manager Richard Brown to drop the appeal but reversed its decision the same night. Deputy Mayor Bill Morse was the swing vote in April, and he again changed his position Monday night. He said he previously let the administration proceed with the appeal because he did not want to micromanage labor relations, but changed his mind because the captains, all veteran members of the department, are looking for job security as the city teeters on fiscal crisis. “They're an important part of the infrastructure of the police department,” Morse said. Councilors Rob Pero, Jason Catala and Peg Curtin voted to allow the captains to join the union, while Mayor Jane Glover and Councilors Beth Sabilia and Gerard Gaynor Jr. were opposed. Gaynor is a retired police detective. –– Kate Moran © The Day Publishing Co., 2005 |