The Connecticut Board of Labor Relations dismissed a complaint alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by Connecticut’s largest public employees’ union filed by one of its own executive board members after the complainant alleged the union had violated the terms of a previous settlement that likewise alleged harassment, retaliation, and discrimination.
In August 2023, Kimberly Rice filed a complaint with the state labor board against AFSCME Council 4 and AFSCME Local 714, alleging discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and denial of free speech, equal opportunity, full participation in the union, and due process rights, after she submitted charges against her local union. The allegations were apparently related to administration of a union election and Rice’s participation in that election.
A former employee of the Department of Social Services until her retirement in June 2023, Rice also served as co-chair of AFSCME Council 4’s Climate Committee and the union’s Dues Structure Committee. Under AFSCME’s rules, even though she was retired, Rice could continue serving out her committee terms by paying the full dues amount. However, Rice’s participation was not particularly welcome, according to emails noted by the labor board.
A December 2023 email from Local 714 President Wilfred Medina to AFSCME Council 4 Executive Director Jodi Barr, lamented the leadership on Council 4’s dues committee because Rice was retired and the other chair had attempted to opt-out of the union three times.
“I don’t want them representing the local,” Medina wrote. At some point, Rice was removed from the committee, although the decision indicates details are unclear
According to the labor board decision, a settlement was reached in March 2024 that allowed Rice to be reinstated as a Local 714 steward in good standing and simultaneously tender her resignation as steward. The settlement also required Local 714 to submit a waiver to use electronic voting; reimburse Rice’s expenses and provide her with a green union hoodie sweatshirt.
Additionally, Council 4 was to provide training to Local 714 on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; duty of fair representation, FMLA leave, the American Disability Act and judicial panel procedures.
Over the course of 2024 and into 2025, Local 714 complied with allowing electronic voting, providing the “green hoodie sweatshirt,” and conducting training regarding the agreed-upon issues. However, Rice submitted expenses for reimbursement that totaled $2,456.82, which included her costs for the “filing and prosecution” of her complaint.
Barr refused to reimburse Rice for the complaint costs, and she was only reimbursed $586 for expenses related to her union activity, spurring Rice’s second complaint that the union was violating the State Employee Relations Act (SERA) by violating the terms of her settlement and reiterating her previous claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Rice claimed she was removed from the dues committee and that union leadership hindered her submission of a climate resolution to AFSCME International.
The labor board, however, sided with Council 4, who argued the board lacked jurisdiction in this matter because Rice was not an “employee” as outlined in the State Employee Relations Act and because Rice was retired. The board also found the union had fulfilled its obligations under the original settlement.
The board further found that because Rice’s claims of retaliation were the same as those withdrawn following the settlement, it barred her from attempting to relitigate the matter, and that her claims did not meet the “admittedly high threshold necessary to establish,” a breach of the union’s duty to fair representation. The complaint was then dismissed.
Throughout the proceedings, the board noted that union leadership had attempted to work with Rice while also following union rules and procedures.
Even after her second complaint, Council 4 appeared to try to meet Rice’s demands, including finding a local union officer willing to sign her climate resolution submitted to AFSCME International so the resolution was submitted in accordance with union rules. The resolution was later adopted during the International’s 2024 convention in Los Angeles.
“Barr’s successful efforts to secure a union local to sponsor the resolution on the Complainant’s behalf further undermines a finding of improper animus,” the board wrote.
That AFSCME resolution titled In Support of Climate Change Action and Environmental Justice affirms the International’s “commitment to supporting policies to reduce carbon emissions and environmental justice legislation, regulations and grassroots efforts to combat climate change and environmental racism and to address the historic disproportionate harm done to marginalized communities with regard to their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change,” and “call for public investments aimed at creating and supporting high-quality, green, union jobs.”
Rice was listed as receiving a $31,000 pension in 2025, according to the state’s open records website. AFSCME Council 4 currently lists nearly 27,000 members, with $28.1 million in revenue, according to their latest LM2 report.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
