YOUTH SERVICES OFFICERS AND OTHERS TELL THEIR STORY, BUT IS IT TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

The chaotic scene at Connecticut Juvenile Training School is like some sort of nightmare from the Twilight Zone. A disgruntled whistle blower at CJTS feed documents of alleged abuse to state officials. Then there is an investigation that leads to public hearings; a black man is denounced as culprit over his use of restraints of residents. There is media frenzy over the issue when CJTS videos of restraints are mysteriously leaked. In their infinite wisdom, CJTS management et al., blame YSOs for all the problems at that facility.

Then all of a sudden YSOs plus teachers ban together to address how management has unfairly placed blame for that dysfunctional facility on rank and file members. The local Union gathered employees at their headquarters recently for some sort of panel discussion to address management's attempt at distorting what is really going on at DCF Plantation. However in this writer's opinion, the coming together process is too little, too late. In 2010 workers were trying to elicit support from CJTS employees for a class action lawsuit against the Department of Children and Families / CJTS for racism, hostile work environment... Civil Rights violations. Workers on the DCF Plantation refused to be part of any legal action and distanced themselves from the DCF Plantation Five... originators of the lawsuit. All workers were concerned about at that time consisted of working overtime and going to happy hour to consume chicken wings.

Now there is fear among CJTS workers due to the public image that management crafted in portraying YSOs as lawless thugs harming children. Oh, by the way CJTS picked a black man named Dupree as scapegoat for unlawful restraints. Well. Seems as if chickens have come home to roost; workers refused to organize in the past when then employee Cornell Lewis spoke about challenging management. Now the handwriting is on the wall and management has thrown CJTS employees under the bus. Before the Union meeting YSOs were begging one of the DCF Plantation Five .. Linette Gaunichaux to attend the meeting. "We need your voice" YSOs and teachers proclaimed. You did not need Linette in the past, but now that management has vilified YSOs you want Linette as your champion.


Now workers are fighting back. I maintain it is too little, too late.