SHELTON — The city has failed to properly fund the pension plans of six unionized workers, according to a lawsuit filed by the New England Teamsters and Trucking Industry Pension Fund.
The fund, which represents Teamsters Union 145, filed a lawsuit on Oct. 24. He is seeking to recover unfunded pension contributions, interest, damages and legal fees, according to court documents.
“The purpose of the lawsuit is to get the dues due in full and have them pay the correct rate in the future,” said Matt McQuaid, union spokesman.
The total owed at the end of August is $5,689, McQuaid said. Contributions go to six members of Teamsters Local 145 employed by the city at the water pollution control facility. The union has 33 members in total, but the other members are part of a separate pension plan, McQuaid said.
“This does not include interest, damages or attorney’s fees,” he added. “It also does not take into account the months of September and October, if any amounts due are due for those months.”
He said the union had sent letters about the pension fund, “but they were ignored”.
Mayor Mark Lauretti said he had no comment on the lawsuit as he has not seen it, adding only that if a pension payment is due, it will be honoured.
“It’s just posturing,” he said.
“It’s shameful that these hard-working men and women have to worry about their retirement,” said Dennis Novak, Local 145 Secretary-Treasurer. when it comes to retirement, it hurts not just those workers and their families, but the whole community.”
The lawsuit comes as the city and the union negotiate a contract. McQuaid said they had been working without a contract since July 1, 2018.
Eddie Deptula, an operator who has worked for the city for more than 30 years, said the union was looking for the best contract possible.
“When honest and hard-working civil servants are not only forced to work without an agreement for a long period of time, but do not receive pay increases that follow the cost of living, it is grossly unfair,” Deptula added. “On top of that, the city doesn’t pay full pension contributions.”
The city has been the victim of other unfair labor practice complaintsNovak said, including at least one instance where a state labor board found Lauretti threatening city workers for seeking union membership.
“Collective bargaining is supposed to involve both parties coming to the table with clear demands,” Novak said, going on to blame Lauretti for the lack of a contract. “The Teamsters have come to the table in good faith and are seeking an agreement that is in the best interests of city workers and Shelton residents.”
Lauretti in turn blamed the contract delay with Teamsters 145 and Novak.
“We’ve never had this situation before,” Lauretti said of the Teamsters 145 contract. “Before he showed up, we still had a contract.”