The union representing Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies initially filed a grievance seeking reinstatement of fired deputy and accused murderer Sean Grayson, then said July 30 that it would drop the issue.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council faced criticism on social media and from the family of Sonya Massey, the 36-year-old Sangamon County woman Grayson is charged with shooting in the face on July 6 in her home, and from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Massey family.
“Just cause” refers to terms in labor contracts that generally require employers considering firing workers to first give them fair notice of any performance issues, the opportunity to address those issues and valid reasons for discharge.
Labor contracts can allow situations in which an employer can impose immediate discipline, including firing, when there are flagrant violations in rules of conduct.
The grievance also sought seeks reinstatement of all lost wages, restoration of all lost benefits and any other “appropriate relief” for Grayson.
Then the union did an about-face.
“As a labor organization, the Illinois FOP Labor Council has an obligation to all our members to preserve the procedural due-process rights contained in our collective bargaining agreements,” Tamara Cummings, the council’s general counsel, said in a statement.
“These rights include the right to avail the grievance process, and to do so, strict timelines must be met,” she said. “Therefore, grievances are filed as a matter of course. We as a union, in turn, have internal processes in place to ensure these rights are preserved while, at the same time, proper evaluation of all grievances takes place.
“These internal processes are applied to all members; we do not play favorites or discriminate, regardless of the circumstances surrounding a grievance. … We have arrived at that final stage of the process where a determination can be made regarding whether or not to proceed with Sean Grayson’s grievance. The union has determined that it will not be proceeding any further.”
Cummings wouldn’t say why the union dropped the grievance.
She did add: “Our obligations under the collective bargaining agreement and to our members do not take away from the sympathy we feel for the family and loved ones of Sonya Massey. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and with all those impacted by this tragedy.”
The sheriff’s department fired Grayson on July 17, the same day criminal charges of murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in Massey’s July 6 death were handed down by a Sangamon County grand jury. Grayson has pleaded not guilty and is being held at the Menard County Jail in Petersburg.
Sheriff Jack Campbell said in a statement July 17: “It is clear that the deputy did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards. Therefore, Sean Grayson’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office has been terminated.”
