Tuesday, November 28, 2006

CAT KILLERS GET WRISTS SLAPPED

If these were kids we would insist on plenty of counseling to figure out the roots of their sick-bastard behavior. But because they're adults, two employees of Springfield's City Utilities will instead lose some pay and do 80 hours of community service for stoning a cat at work. They will not have to publicly answer the question: What in hell were you thinking?

According to a report in the News-Leader, one worker got a 30-day suspension and a demotion. The other can't be promoted for a year.

From the story:
Last Tuesday, CU launched an inquiry into allegations that its employees had stoned a cat to death. ...

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 753, the union that represents the two employees, conducted its own investigation last week and "two members stepped forward (to note) that they probably did something that was inappropriate," said Brad Stokes, IBEW Local 753's business manager.

"(The local union) has a code of excellence and we expect members to (live up to it)," Stokes said. "They have stepped up and apologized for that. They'll suffer the consequences as a result of that."
They apparently will not suffer any sort of criminal prosecution for stoning a cat to death. Neither will their names be released; a CU spokesman referred to a "personnel situation like this" in refusing to divulge the names. An earlier brief in the paper said the killing took place "at a CU facility." Where?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree. Complete lack of information, and, where is the outrage? Where are the criminal charges? Isn't animal cruelty a crime? Yes, if these were kids - or some other adults - we'd be demanding charges and or some sort of accountability. We'd also have the names of those charged. This story has flown under the radar. Keep asking questions, Ron. Please?

Anonymous said...

CU seems able to do most anything it pleases without stirring substantial outrage. Abuses have lessened since Roundtree dragged his bundle of loot away into retirement, but the public still is routinely ripped off by CU's greed and arrogance. Even when wrongdoing is pointed out publicly, the overpaid CU managers suffer no meaningful consequences. So why would anyone expect CU to subject its employees to the same judicial system that punishes mere peasants like the rest of us?

Anonymous said...

What??? Do you really think the police and prosecutors office will touch this in light of other pressing issues and manpower constraints??? One month of pay, a demotion that inhibits future earnings, plus 80 hours of community service...Face it...Looks like CU management doled out more punishment than those two miscreants would ever receive from the judicial system.