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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Alameda City Staffer Discharged

By Dan

A 1959 graduate of Alameda High School, John Shaterian has spent the past decade ferrying important papers and mail between various city offices. His work took him from Alameda Point to Bay Farm Island and all points in between on his 72-mile daily route. It’s work the 65-year-old enjoyed.

Shaterian was fired Jan. 14, the Alameda Sun reported, after he was assigned a new vehicle, one he didn’t feel was safe. Shaterian, who plied Alameda’s streets in a 1996 Suzuki, was assigned a small golf cart-style electric vehicle in January for his route. “One day I got to work and there was a letter from on my desk, saying ‘You’re the lucky one that gets to drive the first electric vehicle,' ” he said. “The door wasn’t solid; you could jiggle it. ‘I’m not going to drive this; I don’t feel safe,’ I said to (Shaterian’s immediate supervisor).”

After looking over the vehicle, he didn’t feel comfortable with it.

Shaterian says he offered to drive his own personal car at work, as long as he was reimbursed, but claims officials rejected his offer as a non-viable long-term solution.

Karen Willis, the city of Alameda's human resources director, described the matter as a personnel issue about which she could not comment.

Shaterian said he has not consulted an attorney, but is considering it. Right now, all he wants is to be reinstated.

Posted at 10:51 AM | Permalink

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