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City workers say managers made threats, cut overtime

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant supervisors threatened workers and denied them overtime after they complained about being forced to perform private work on city time, according to court documents filed yesterday to amend a lawsuit the workers originally filed in June.

The amended suit claims that workers Norman Salsedo and Solomon Silva were ordered last year to install sprinklers at the Enchanted Lake home of their supervisor's mother on overtime using city supplies and equipment.

Salsedo, Silva and other workers called a meeting with several managers last August and "objected to being forced into theft of overtime" from the city, and complained that the work had been illegal and unethical, according to the suit.

Supervisors later informed Silva and two supporters, George Smith and Kenneth Mersburgh, that they would no longer be eligible for overtime work, and a supervisor "made bizarre statements" to Salsedo that made him "feel threatened and fear for his life," the suit charges.

Another supervisor then allegedly demanded that Salsedo sign a letter recanting his earlier statements, and "said he would put (Salsedo) out of a job" when he refused.

City officials had no immediate comment on the allegations. The suit was amended after city lawyers complained in court documents that the original suit lacked specific allegations of wrongdoing.