Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Speech Law Rejected in Conn. Case > HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut's second-highest > court ruled private employees do not have the right to > speak out on the job about company policies. > > The Appellate Court ruled Wednesday that the state's > free-speech law does not protect a defense worker who > said he was fired for refusing to display an American > flag at his workstation. > > The court said private employees have the right to > speak out at work on issues of public or social > concern, but that a company policy on flag-waving was > not such a concern. > > ``The issue of whether the employer should have > `expected' the plaintiff to display a flag may be the > subject of a grievance involving a condition of > employment, but it is not a matter of public > interest,'' Judge Antoinette Dupont wrote. > > The case involved Gonzalo Cotto, who sued > Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft, complaining that he > was fired in 1992 for refusing to put up the flag > during a Gulf War celebration. > > He also claimed he was singled out for speaking out > against the company for allegedly pressuring employees > to display the flag. > > But Sikorsky officials said the company had no policy > requiring employees to display the flag, and that Cotto > was fired for creating a disturbance after employees > were asked to display flags at their workstations. > > ``He threw the American flag on the floor, and he was > sent home,'' company spokesman William Tuttle said. > ``On return to work, he wore the flag hanging out of > his back pocket and used it as a handkerchief.'' > > Cotto's attorneys argued that his firing violated a > state law passed in 1983 that expanded free speech > rights to private workplaces. > > A lower court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the > state and federal constitutions do not extend free > speech rights to activities ``on private property, > against the wishes of the owner.'' > > The three-judge appeals panel ruled unanimously > Wednesday to uphold the dismissal. > > Cotto's attorney said she planned to appeal. > > ``My position is that you can be a good machinist > without being willing to wave a flag at a workstation > or support the particular war going on at the time,'' > Karen Lee Torre said. > > Sikorsky, a division of United Technologies Corp. of > Hartford, makes military helicopters. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
