ORDA vice president retires 6 months after promotion to oversee New York’s three state-owned ski hills
By James M. Odato
The head of New York’s three alpine ski centers left state employment just months after being promoted as vice president and amid three investigations for alleged union-busting practices at Belleayre Mountain.
Bruce Transue, who turned 65 in May, departed from the payroll last week, said Darcy Norfolk, communications director for the Olympic Regional Development Authority.
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She called his departure a retirement and said she didn’t know if it was connected to the improper labor practices charges filed by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) naming Belleayre’s management.
Allegations of secret recordings of union meetings
The charges include a member of Transue’s team allegedly assigning a union member to record a union meeting to share the audio content with managers at the Catskills downhill skiing facility.
In November, Transue, Belleayre’s general manager, was promoted by ORDA President Ashley Walden to vice president in charge of the Adirondack ski centers on Gore and Whiteface mountains plus the one at Belleayre.
A month earlier, the improper taping of a meeting of 20 union members with a CSEA labor relations specialist occurred, according to CSEA charges filed in January with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
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The allegation accuses a management official, Lisa Morgan, of instructing a CSEA member, Darrin Morgan, to record the meeting. Two days later, a member of management confronted a union shop steward about specific topics discussed at the private meeting, the charge alleges.
Such a taping would violate the Taylor Law, which governs dealing with public union employees, and interfere in a protected activity.
ORDA’s lawyer, Glen P. Doherty of Hodgson Russ in Albany, filed denials to the allegations, according to documents provided by PERB.
A CSEA spokeswoman, Jessica Ladlee, said in her 20 years with the union she had not encountered another claim such as the one involving the taping of a union meeting.
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“As an organization we are 115 years old this October,” she said. “I would never say this is a first time — it is very unusual, I’ll leave it at that. Speaking broadly, going into a union meeting (members) have a right to expect they can speak freely.”
Accusations of retaliation
Two months after the alleged improper recording, Transue told Loronda Murphy, the union steward who had been confronted about the discussions at the union meeting, that her job duties and title were being changed because of her union activities, according to a second CSEA charge filed with PERB in February.
Transue allegedly told her to stop being involved in the union, the charge states, a form of retaliation for her activism.
ORDA denied the allegations in the charge using the same private attorney.
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Union steward claims unfair job interview tactics
In February, according to the third charge filed with PERB, Transue told the second shop steward at Belleayre, Annmarie Maroulakos, that she would have to prove her trust if she expected to win a job for which she was interviewing, guest services supervisor.
Transue told her she was the “best candidate” for the position but her union activities had weakened his trust in her, according to the charge.
At the same job interview, the human relations employee accompanying Transue told Maroulakos that she would improve her ability to get the guest services position if she resigned as a steward, the charge alleges.
ORDA hired a person from outside the authority for the guest services post, even after Maroulakos had resigned as steward, the charge states.
The charge was filed April 28. ORDA has not responded to it, according to records provided by PERB.
Norfolk was unable to make Transue available for an interview. She said ORDA intends to post a job opening notice to fill his positions.
Photo at top: Photo from Belleayre, courtesy of ORDA
If proven, these allegations show rather sleazy management practices at Belleayre/ORDA. The promotion of the manager by the ORDA president a month after the manager was accused of these violations just adds fuel to the fire.
(As an aside, it’s interesting to note the last names of the management official, Lisa Morgan, who allegedly instructed a CSEA member to record a union meeting, and Darrin Morgan, who allegedly recorded the meeting. Any connection?)
Is there a slippery slope of questionable management practices at Belleayre?
Must have picked up some pointers about leaking info and submitting false claims about management from their Union brothers and sisters at the APA. Unions have really devolved from what they originally were created for and the serious, dangerous work those original unionized workers undertook. Sad state of affairs. These people work in offices and luxury ski facilities….
“Unions have really devolved from what they originally were created for and the serious, dangerous work those original unionized workers undertook.”
No, labor unions haven’t devolved. They continue to perform their original purpose — to protect employee rights, prevent exploitation by employers, improve working conditions, secure better wages, and establish fair labor standards. Much to management’s chagrin and consternation.
By the way, do you have any evidence for your claim that CSEA submitted “false claims about management” in its improper labor practice charges? Or is it just your unsubstantiated and baseless opinion?
People not working in the public sector are doing just fine. Without unions. Though I know the danger of paper cuts and printer noise requires swift action by union stewards in the typical NYS office.
My opinion is as unsubstantiated and baseless as the opinion of those making anonymous and slanderous claims about management that still get published in this magazine. Funny how that works eh?