Union leader slammed as ‘distasteful’ after pushing for more OT pay during slain NYPD cop Jonathan Diller’s funeral
A Long Island union boss is being slammed for a complaint that his workers weren’t paid enough overtime for their work during the funeral for slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller.
Civil Service Employees Association 830 President Ron Gurrieri filed a grievance against Nassau County on behalf of the Department of Public Works employees he represents, saying they didn’t get compensated to handle road closures in Massapequa for Diller’s March 30 funeral.
“Relief requested for all affected members to receive all benefits lost, monies, OT, etc,” Gurrieri said in the April 8 grievance.
“The County of Nassau, specifically DPW, violates the CBA [collective bargaining agreement] when they contracted out road closures duties on Merrick Road, which is a county road, for the funeral of NYC Police Officer Jonathan Diller,” read the grievance.
The complaint said CSEA members are “fully equipped and capable of closing the road and have closed many roads in the past.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman blasted Gurrieri for exploiting a funeral of a hero cop to make more overtime on the taxpayer dime.
His office also said it was the Nassau County Police Department that assisted DWP workers in handling the road closure and diverting traffic, and none of the work was contracted out.
“Not only is your assertion incorrect. I find the whole premise distasteful and disturbing,” Blakeman said in a June 24 response to the CSEA president.
“I do not believe the hardworking members of your union and my employees would be so cynical and callous to want to profit with overtime at the expense of Police Officer Diller’s funeral and blessed memory,” Blakeman said.
On March 25, 31-year-old Diller encountered a career criminal in a parked car in Far Rockaway. Guy Rivera, 34, with 21 arrests on his record, allegedly pulled out a pistol and opened fire, fatally striking Diller in the stomach, just underneath his bullet proof vest.
The head of the pro-police advocacy group Blue Lives Matter slammed Gurrieri’s complaint as insensitive and selfish.
“This guy has to get over himself. We’re talking about a funeral for a hero police officer who was killed in the line of duty,” said Blue Lives Matter founder and president Joe Imperatrice, currently an NYPD detective bureau supervisor.
“Officer Diller left behind a 1-year-old who won’t know his father and a wife who will not see the family she envisioned. And this union is more concerned about dollar signs instead of supporting the family when they need it most?” he fumed.
Imperatrice continued, “It’s disgusting and it takes you by surprise. I’ve never heard anyone do something like this when a hero was killed. This is not something you pick a fight over.”
He said Gurrieri may think he’s currying favor with some of his members, but not with the public.
Gurrieri, during a Post phone interview, initially claimed to “have no clue” about the unfair labor practice he filed.
After being informed that The Post had a copy of it, he said, “I have no comment on a pending grievance.”
But Gurrieri, after the story posted Thursday morning, called the Post back and said he scrapped the labor complaint about his members not getting enough work or overtime during the Diller funeral — claiming it had been submitted internally without his approval.
“The grievance is being pulled. It was in bad taste. It should never have happened,” he said.
“I apologize to the Diller family. The grievance should never have seen the light of day.”
