Bllizzard Cleanup is subject of Inquiry

[TomClash]

Source: NYTimes

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have opened a preliminary investigation into allegations that disgruntled sanitation workers sabotaged the cleanup after the blizzard last week that left some neighborhoods snowbound for days, people who have been briefed on the inquiry said Tuesday.

The investigation is focusing on whether there was a work slowdown and, if so, whether it was an effort to pad overtime. If the actions took place, two of those people said, they could constitute wire fraud or wire fraud conspiracy, both federal crimes. Both people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.

The inquiry, which began last week, is being conducted by the Public Integrity Section in the office of United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch, which will work with the city’s Department of Investigation, one of the people said. The city investigators also began looking into possible efforts to sabotage the cleanup last week.

<snip>

In a telephone interview that day, Mr. Halloran said three sanitation workers, including one whom he had long known and who had worked on his election campaign, told him that the message from their supervisors was not quite so explicit. They were told they would not be closely monitored and should not overwork themselves, he said, adding that the message was subtle to avoid a violation of the state’s Taylor Law, which bars public-sector unions from going on strike.

<snip>


Rose Gill Hearn, the city’s investigation commissioner, said late Monday that her office was looking into any evidence that workers suggested, encouraged or participated in a slowdown. The Queens and Brooklyn district attorneys’ offices are also conducting a preliminary inquiry.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/nyregion/05storm.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

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If they are investigating sanitation workers for doing too little during their 14 hour manual labor shifts plowing snow, one wonders whether the attorneys and investigators in the US Attorney's Office, the Brooklyn and Queens DA's offices and the NYC Department of Investigation really have enough to do. If not, given the current fiscal crunch, maybe some staff reductions in those departments are in order.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Yet the criminal conspiracies by the banks are ignored.

[TomClash]

3. Of course nt

[fasttense]

2. This sounds so much like another lie or RepubliCON talking point.

If the Sanitation workers were not working hard enough during their 14 hour shifts, they were only taking their que from the RepubliCONS in Congress.

I certainly didn't see any of those in the DA office offering to help dig out the snow.

Work harder slaves work harder. Maybe they should have supervisors standing over all these lazy sanitation workers whipping them with a cat of nine tails to work harder. :sarcasm:

[TomClash]

4. Very Important People don't dig

I wonder if any of these people ever did real work for more than a college summer.

[madmom]

5. "should not overwork themselves" heaven forbid they NOT overwork themselves! Isn't that the same

advise they always give when people go out to shovel snow? To prevent a sudden heart attacks or something, do Not overwork yourself.

[TomClash]

8. That's a very good point

And you're absolutely right.

[2QT2BSTR8]

6. One word - Blizzardgate

I wonder who will be the first to use this term in the MSM?

[blackspade]

7. Crazy.

More union busting.
Using a storm to fabricate a systemic effort by labor to screw over the city that most of them live in.
Bullshit.