Chanting “We?re tired, and we?re not going to take it anymore,” employees of the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse in downtown Baltimore held a rally Tuesday on the sidewalk in front of the east building protesting what they called “impossible” working conditions in the Jury Division.
“This is about respect,” said Pat Kelly, president of AFSCME Local 3674, which represents the courthouse employees. “We have been trying to meet with management for a year,” she said.
“There has been no response.”
Several dozen workers joined nine of the 10 employees of the Jury Division at the noontime rally. Circling the courthouse steps with placards that read “Where is the jury commissioner?,” employees said new procedures instituted a little more than a year ago have made it impossible to complete their jobs. Employees said since potential jurors who want out of jury duty have been allowed to call instead of writing to be excused, the workload has become unmanageable.
“If you?re answering the phone, thenyou?re not doing the paperwork, and if you?re doing your paperwork, then you?re not answering the phone,” said Debbie Rykiel, a Jury Division employee describing her predicament.
Some blamed a general lack of respect for making a bad situation worse.
“It?s so difficult you just don?t want to come to work,” said Brandi Dyer, a summer employee in the division.
Kelly said the union has filed an official grievance calling for either the transfer of the nine employees to another division, or the dismissal of Cheryl Reese, the acting lead worker of the office. The grievance accuses Reese, who has been in her post for just over a year, Kelly said, of harassing employees. “Ms. Reese frequently expresses a negative attitude, a lack of cooperation and uses a condescending tone towards employees. She creates an extremely stressful work environment,” the complaint said.
The complaint also cites “continued harassment, threats and intimidation.”
Numerous phone calls to both Reese and Jury Commissioner Nancy Dennis were not returned.
Frank Conaway, clerk of the court, said the size of the walkout meant the issue needed to be addressed. “When you see this many people dissatisfied, then it?s time to take a careful look at the problems.”
