Teamsters Local Union No. 340 President Brett Miller responded by letter to selectmen March 5 to comments made by Selectman Denise Griffin on contract negotiations at the Feb. 8 board meeting. Miller referenced the Boothbay Register article, “Griffin concerned over schools, contracts” dated Feb. 9 which reported Griffin’s calling out of alleged threats made to Town Manager Julia Latter and Police Chief Bob Hasch.

In his letter, Miller cited Teamster health and welfare fund Allegiant Care which all Local 340 union members benefit from per collective bargaining agreement. Miller also said non-bargaining management employees, including the town manager and police chief in Boothbay Harbor’s case, also benefit from Allegiant Care.

Miller wrote, “Local 340 has no obligation to even discuss extending Teamster health and welfare coverage to non-bargaining unit employees under its collective bargaining agreement and certainly was/is under no obligation to agree to such a provision. During the recently concluded and difficult negotiations, I pointed out this fact to the Town’s attorney and directly to the Town Manager. I assume that this is the ‘threat’ that you were referring to during the Feb. 8 meeting.”

In a phone interview, Miller stated there were no threats and that he had pointed out the benefits at one point to Latter and Griffin during negotiations. He said he responded to the comments made at the Feb. 8 meeting out of obligation as the Local 340 president and business agent working in negotiations. The Boothbay Register also reached out to Griffin and Selectmen’s Chair Mike Tomko. Griffin declined comment. Tomko said since Griffin and Latter headed negotiations, he was aware of progress, but only by secondhand. He declined further comment.

Said Miller, “Instead of painting the union in such a poor light, (Griffin’s) intention was never to bargain in good faith with our members, with her employees. She was dead-set and told us right from the start that we were going to have our members pay more for healthcare. That was right out of the gate … I am sure that the townspeople have no idea that we are providing a great insurance piece and we're not obligated to do it, but the union is trying to negotiate in good faith and extend an olive branch because it would make it so much easier for the town.”

Contracts were signed and processed before the Feb. 8 meeting, and Miller stated it was never his intention to pull the non-bargaining management employees’ benefits, but suggested Griffin was unaware of how vital the benefits to those jobs are for the town.

Said Miller, “I am absolutely sure the townspeople have no idea that the union has negotiated in good faith and is providing something that we don't have to do. We don't get anything out of it other than just allowing them to be on it … It would be astronomical to put individual policies together to cover one person or two people. No insurance company is going to do that, so we actually filled a void that they needed filled. Not only did we do that, but by them coming over to Allegiant Care it saved the town literally a ton of money.”