An employee on trial services at the Department of Revenue was recently terminated after filing a complaint with HR about disrespectful treatment from an administrator. The administrator in question received multiple prior complaints from other employees. Though an independent investigation is pending, the administrator in question continues their day-to-day work.

Member leaders at Revenue felt that the employee’s termination was done in retaliation for the complaints with HR. However, the employee was on trial services and the state contract currently does not provide a grievance process for them. Members at Revenue wanted to support them regardless — after all, we’re in a union so we can have each other’s back. Member leaders contacted the Deputy Director and put in calls for a unity break to put pressure on management.

On the morning of November 27, Revenue’s Sublocal Vice President Tami Combs was joined by nearly 30 members and allies, including 503 members from Agriculture, Education, and over 20 members from Revenue. The group met in the lobby before filling up the elevators to attend the meeting. The Deputy Director met with members for over an hour, hearing concerns about an increasingly unprofessional office culture from various workers and stewards. Though it was reiterated that no action would be taken to bring back the terminated employee before the investigation has closed, members opened up a line of communication with Revenue’s Deputy Director who then committed to giving us a voice in how to improve their workplace.

The investigation is scheduled to close in mid-December. Be on the lookout for ways that you can support members at the Department of Revenue as they continue working to improve an unprofessional office culture.