n n
thursday, January 17, 1980
lincoln, nebraska vol. 104 no. 4
n nn
o
roenter
s suspension
endsi
n firing
By Brenda Moskovits
, A carpenter in the UNL Maintenance Department who
claims his suspension, and subsequent firing were intended
as punishment for publicly criticizing the department said
he. will contact his attorney and the UNL ombudsman
about appeals procedures.
James Young, who was on six-month probation on in
subordination charges, Wednesday received a certified
letter informing him of his termination. He was placed on
three-day suspension without pay Monday because he
didn't come to work Friday.'
Young said a storm delayed his return flight from a
vacation in Hawaii and he alleged the suspension was
intended as punishment for writing a letter in December
"criticizing the department to the Lincoln Star.
Young said he will contact UNL Ombudsman Al
Dittmer about all avenues of appeals within the university
system before initiating legal action. He also said he will
consult with his lawyer on Thursday. '
UNL Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Ron
Wright said "the (Star) letter has nothing to do with this
action. It's strictly an internal action."
"He (Young) was on probation from a period in Octo
ber,'' Wright said. Conditions of the probation included
no work deterioration, improved relations with super-.
visors, avoiding unnecessary absences and always inform-"
ing supervisors of an absence, Wright explained. .
"In terms of -the total operation of that department,
he's not working out," Wright said. "That individual,
working with those other people, did not get the job
done." v : ;
"That doesn't mean you have to like them (super
visors)," Wright said. ". . . you must respect the authority
of superyhors" by following their directions.
Firing imminent-
Wright decided to fire Young Tuesday based on
recommendations from the UNL Personnel and Mainten
ance Departments and from Young's performance reports.
He said Young probably would have been released within
two weeks, even if he hadn't been absent.
"At the halfway point (of probation), he should have
been showing progress one way or the other," Wright
said.
"If you're not showing satisfactory progress, it's point
less to continue that (employment) relationship," espe
cially considering ongoing university budget problems.
Young agreed that "1 would have been fired if I came
back from Honolulu later or not. . . That's because the
evaluation program they have is inappropriately adminis
tered. That has been a bone of contention with the people
there from the beginning."
"I don't think the issue here is my job," Young said,
adding his complaints were published more than a month
ago, but "my charges have never been answered fully."
. . There are still 89 men down there risking their
limbs," Young said.
Wright said Young's complaints about the maintenance
department are being addressed. During the past month,
maintenance and personnel officials have met with UNL
Physical Plant Director Harley Schrader and have formed
a concerns and communications task force composed of
elected representatives from each trade:
Representatives are to be elected for six-month terms
by Friday and an organizational meeting will be at 3:30
p.m. Jan. 23.
One person's perception'
Wright described Young's charges as just one person's
perception. Those allegations include: that there is no
safety program, that management is unresponsive and that
an apprenticeship program employs experienced trades
people to get around hiring Vomen. - ... .
"He has one voice in 90 they (maintenance supervisors)
have a responsibility to listen to," Wright said.
4No safety program is a perception," Wright said.
"You'd have to go over and ask the other 90 about the
program."
Wright said the Personnel Department's Environment
Health and Safety division is in charge of safety programs,
but added "it's one thing to provide the gear; it's another
thing to wear it." -
. Young replied: "I wasn't thinking of gear. I was think
ing of an educational program," one that reviews recur
rent problems found in 'department satety reports, such
as eye and hand safety.
"I think the men use the gear that's provided," Young
said, adding that it took him three months to get plastic
face, shields and that "their (the department's) idea of a
First Aid kit is a box of Band-Aids."
"These men (the supervisors) don't even acknowledge
there is a safety problem," he said.
Regarding Young's allegations that the apprenticeship
program is administered to exclude women, Wright
responded: "I do not believe that statement . . . We are an
affirmative action institution. Even if we wanted to, we
could not design a program to exclude any class of per
ception." . . : -
He said, however, apprenticeship programs must deal
with the type of applicants available in the particular
town and trade.
Young also charged that the apprenticeship program
. has never been properly put together "in black and white"
and that graduates of Southeast Community College
Milford often "have to take over classes," already attend
ed in Milford.
"Some of them had to take an economics course that
had nothing to do with their trade, just a time killer,"
Young said.
Treacher3 from Grand Island is the man behind the bill
By Gordon Johnson
"Hey preacher Kelly. Did you see your
piblUIC 111 Ills kJiai S a ISHViW oviiuwi uuiv
jokingly.
A picture in the newspaper showed
Ralph Kelly of Grand Island, head bowed
and hands clasped in prayer during the
opening ceremonies' of the Legislature.
Kelly, sponsor of LB221, a bill to raise
Nebraska's drinking age from 19 to 21, said
being a Christian has had a great impact on
his life and dealings with others.
LB221 is scheduled for debate today.
Sen. Peter Hoagland of Omaha said Wed
nesday he had 22 signatures on an amend
ment to LB221 which would allow 19 and
20-year-olds to drink in bars but make it
illegal for them to buy alcohol off-sale.
Nebraska support
In recent years Kelly has gained recog
nition for taking a strong position on
LB22 1 and ; according to Kelly, he has the
support of Nebraskans behind him.
And what Nebraskans, particularly his
constituents, want is often how he votes,
Kelly said.
." -
Barbara Koch, Kelly's legislative aide',
said he pays attention to his mail. He often
has initiated a bill for a concerned consti
tuent even though he knew it wouldn't
have a chance of passing, she said.
Kelly's main motivation, Koch said, is
: his re spect f or other people .
"He is very anxious to do anything he
can to help people out,' Koch said about
the 59-year-old senator.
His concern fo'r others is a direct result
of his Christian views, she said . ,
Positive effect
"It has a positive effect in that it is such
a deep part of his life," she said.
Kelly, who was first elected to the Leg
islature in 1972, shares ownership of a
plumbing supply firm in Grand Island with
a brother.
After graduating from Grand Island
High School, Kelly attended college. He
spent one and a half years at NU and two
years at Utah State College. However,
World War II cut short his civil engineering
studies.
During World War II he served four and
a half years as a pilot for the Army Air
Corps. -
A registered Republican, Kelly said he
would not call himself an extremist. How
ever, he does claim title to being a fiscal
conservative and at the same time a "social
progressive."
People mixed up
"People get mixed up on what govern
ment should do for them. Government
should only do what the individual can't,",
Kelly said.
Kelly defines being a social progressive
as being interested in performing human
services, but not going overboard. Social
programs must be made better not more
numerous, he said.
And , again, Kelly said his Christian
background shapes his reasoning.
"I am responsible for my brother and I
want the privilege to discharge my duty in
T"
f . ' .
v:, I -
(y ' ., M.
Photo by Mark Bitlingslay
Sen. Ralph Kelly, sponsor of LB221
that
area
(social program's)," he said.
Political observers point out that Kelly
is his own man and that it is often difficult
to predict how he will vote on a bill.
, Drives people nuts
"My voting record must drive everyone
nuts," Kelly said with a grin.
On a scale of 1 to 10, Kelly places his
skill as a politician at 5.
However, Koch said: "He can be as
good a politician as any of them, but he
tries to stay with what he feels is right
while many of the other senators may be
willing to make trade-offs.
Kelly agrees with this remark.
"I don't trade very well. It isn't my
style," he- said. "People know they can
take advantage of me in that area so I don't,
place the ball game.
Kelly divides politicans into two differ
ent groups, the politically nimble and the
sledgehammers. He said he leans more to
the side of the sledgehammers.
Even though he is trying to raise the
drinking age to 21, Kelly said he is not a
teetotaler. Kelly said he enjoys an
occasional glass of wine. But, he said, his
three children were not allowed to drink at
home before they reached the legal age, a
rule which applies to a daughter still living
at home.
The big push: Nebraska agribusinessmen
start a drive to help finance the proposed
regional veterinary college . . . . . . Pte 3
Other voices, other rooms: The Theater
Department is packing up and moving. In
the first of a two part series, a reporter
describes the problems , they're
facing PcelO
Hay or politics: Two UNL gymnasts
express mixed feelings on the pecbk
. Olympic boycott ........... Po 12
