Union argues penalty jump to 15 days was disproportionate, cites training improvements and evidence gaps

Union counsel and witnesses told the commission that Wilkerson had been through prior progressive steps and that the labor negotiator had reduced a previous suspension to one day. The union argued the remedial and PIP records showed improvement and that the department had not presented clear, comparative evidence tying the full canopy damage exclusively to the May 12 incident.

Brad Ames, an AFSCME representative, told the commission that in his experience a jump from a 1-day suspension to 15 days typically required catastrophic facts; he said the record in this case lacked a definitive monetary attribution to Wilkerson alone. The union asked the commission to weigh the corrective measures already used (memos, remedial training, PIPs) before upholding an escalated penalty.