PTC Rec employee fired for insubordination seeks reinstatement
Sunday, November 28, 2010 - 4:56pm
Submitted by John Munford
Submitted by John Munford
A former Peachtree City parks and recreation maintenance crew member who was fired in October this week formally asked the city to overturn his dismissal.
Frank Bumpus made his case before an appeal board consisting of fellow city employees, who have five working days to make a decision.
Bumpus was fired in October for insubordination after he refused his crew leader’s order to wash a truck and subsequently refused to roll up his window when the crew leader decided to wash the truck himself on Oct. 13, according to city records.
According to a city memo, Bumpus became agitated and angry after saying he would wash the truck the following day, which happened to be when the crew leader was scheduled to be off.
Other city records show that Bumpus was suspended in November 2009 after taking a swing and cursing at the crew leader who had just asked him to go into the fields to work. Bumpus also grabbed the crew leader by his clothes twice in the chest during that altercation, the records stated.
Following that incident, Bumpus was placed on a 90-day probation and he also participated in the city’s employee assistance program, which he completed. Because of the program’s positive report and based on his job performance, Bumpus was reinstated to regular fulltime status with the city in February of this year.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 9:33am
#2
A Sad state Of Affairs
This individual would be long gone should he be employed in the private sector, but it does point out the tolerence even government workers have for themselves. It's obvious he grabbed the shirt of a manager instead of a leader.
After the first incident, the city is wrong for not terminating him and pressing charges.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 9:41am
#3
MIKE K
You may be right Mike, but only if the stipulations are all true. Were there witnesses? If true, this sort of irrational behavior can not be tolerated anywhere that supervision is required. Even if the man was physically ill.
However, I must say that at $12-13 an hour one can not expect too much, and therefore considerably more guiding can be necessary.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 9:50am
#4
Court
Even at minimum wage without benefits, should an employee take a poke at a supervisor, ill or no, he or she has forfeited the right of that employment.
That's simply my opinion, which is undoubtedly frowned upon by management.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 10:02am
#5
Unruly employee
So the city has it on record that this employee can get agitated up to and including physical contact. Care to guess what will happen if this employee confronts and harms another employee? Somebody at PTC could be writing a big check for that civil suit.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 10:00am
#6
Now MIKE
You here are talking to someone who also was in the military once upon a time!
Are you trying to say that no superior was ever thumped (privately) by inferiors in Nam? They weren't "Fired."
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 8:50am
#7
What is this nonsense? Are these people unionized?
He was put on probabtion and now he's asking for an official ruling that it never happened? Excuse me, but in the real world he would have been fired on the spot and one of the thousands of unemployed people waiting in the wings would have taken his place immediately. Why do government workers (even at the city level) think they are exempt from common sense rules? Are they unionized or just think they are entitled to their job?
And while we are discussing it, why don't we get the community service "volunteers" - the ones sent over by the court - to wash vehicles. Most especially those charged with graffiti and vandalism.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 9:55am
#8
mudcat & Mike K
In the good old USA there are several different worlds that some of us have never seen or heard anything about. Coal Miners for instance, or garbage handlers!
The job does not make anyone the type of person we should avoid, or expect even to react with "common sense," if provoked.
When City management and elected officials discovered that the people who paid taxes (everyone nearly) did not wish to compete with Industry for their hourly help (Auto workers on a line $30/hour, etc.) they were forced to hire those who had a hard time getting a high-paying job at 1/3-1/2 those wages.
Plus, decent health care and at least some pension to even keep those employees. They were not hiring Airline pilots or Dispatcher Managers!
Many groups of employees require more patient training and supervision--
even our military requires excessive training and corporal discipline to maintain an army!
I am not saying this person shouldn't remain fired, but even in the Civil Service, no one ever gets rated lower than satisfactory with most rated at more than qualified! They get transferred.
I do hope we train properly and realize the pay scale before someone goes over the deep-end!
Unions were organized due to Industrial greed and taking advantage in the 10s and 20s! We find now that they are too powerful.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 12:02pm
#9
Too Touchy-Feely
I make $11.29 per hour as a paraprofessional in Fayette County with five years' experience and a college degree. Because I feel I am inadequately compensated, I guess I could act out and expect not to be held accountable for inappropriate behavior. Everyone should just understand .. right? I hope not! A person's wage should not be a barometer for tolerance of insubordination.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 10:38am
#10
The truth hurts - ouch!
even in the Civil Service, no one ever gets rated lower than satisfactory with most rated at more than qualified! They get transferred.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 10:25am
#11
Court
Go take your Meds! And while you're at it, seek adult supervision.
Mon, 11/29/2010 - 8:47pm
#12
Hey CHR$
Hang in there buddy!!! New science and medicines are coming. ☺ ☺
Bumpus should get Bupkis