Posts tagged corruption
Michael Watson: The Union and the Republican Prize Patrol
May 19, 2025 // But as “the union that rules New York” waves goodbye to its self-interested longtime boss, allow me the opportunity to give a brief history lesson, one that should serve as a warning to those Republicans and conservatives who hope to appease unions into political dominance. Because even as he was launching the political careers of leftists like former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), Gresham and his predecessor Dennis Rivera played union whisperer to a now-deceased faction of New York State politics: the Republican “Prize Patrol.”
Gov’t Seeks 6-Month Sentence for IUOE Ex-Prez in DOL Forms Cas
May 16, 2025 // Federal prosecutors have requested a six-month prison sentence for James Callahan, former president of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), after he pled guilty to failing to disclose $315,000 worth of event tickets and additional benefits in his annual reports to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Callahan, who served as IUOE’s general president from 2011 until his resignation in January, submitted false statements in LM-30 reports, which union officers are required to file to disclose potential conflicts of interest between their personal finances and their duties to the union and its members.
New Trump civil-service reform rule nearer to going into effect
May 7, 2025 // According to former Department of Labor official Vincent Vernuccio, who is now president of the labor nonprofit Institute for the American Worker, OPM may amend the rule or issue it as it’s proposed, which could happen within the next few weeks or months. “So, you’re talking about 50,000 federal employees—about 2% of the workforce who will become ‘at will’,” Mr. Vernuccio said. “These are still career employees,” he said. “They still have protections. They’re not changing that. It’s just that if they are in a policy-influencing position, they’re ‘at will’, and they can be removed if they’re throwing sand in gears of policy.” He added, “And if they simply don’t want to do their jobs and they don’t want to implement the policies that the people’s duly elected representatives have implemented, they can be removed.”
NY’s largest health care workers union topples longtime prez
May 6, 2025 // Members of New York’s largest health care workers union just voted to topple their longtime president amid accusations of mismanagement and lavish spending. Yvonne Armstrong, senior executive president of Service Employees International Union 1199 East, easily defeated George Gresham in a landslide vote of 26,623 to 11,722 in a sign of major discontent over the current leadership.
Iron Workers President Kyle Chasse Indicted on 12 Counts of Wire Fraud
May 5, 2025 // On March 19, 2025, in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Kyle Chasse, former President of Iron Workers Local 745 (located in Kittery, Maine), was indicted on 12 counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(3), respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
UAW Reformers Close Caucus, Launch New Organization
May 1, 2025 // The resolution to dissolve, which passed by a vote of 160 to 137, stated, “It is clear to us that the coalition of members that came together to achieve UAWD’s greatest successes can no longer work together toward common goals… There are two different visions for the kind of organization we need to build to advance a more militant union.” Opponents said the majority group should work through the internal conflicts or leave, rather than close the caucus. “These have been tensions since the beginning, and we worked through them,” said Jeremy Bunyaner, a tenant attorney and longtime caucus activist. “Do you not believe we can work together? Then leave, don’t shut it down.”
Chair Walberg Requests Investigation into Alleged Union Embezzlement
April 17, 2025 // “According to the article, Mr. Gresham ‘has for years used union money to benefit himself, his family and political allies.’ These allegations raise serious concerns about whether the union’s officers have been treating the union treasury as a personal slush fund rather than upholding their legal duty to manage members’ dues for the members’ exclusive benefit. The Committee shares these concerns and is committed to supporting the enforcement of federal laws protecting union members’ rights.”
Another Example of Why Most Workers Can’t Stand Unions
April 15, 2025 // Do most workers want their paychecks skimmed to: compensate a union president’s daughter to travel with him? pay two personal drivers for the union president? pay for a union officers’ retreat at a luxury golf course? pay for very expensive flights to South Africa for unclear reasons? spend $300,000 per year in rent for a penthouse suite belonging to Harry Belafonte’s nonprofit? pay that nonprofit’s president a salary as the union’s “national program director” despite her doing nothing for the union? fund concerts that take place in the same town and at the same time as the union president’s annual family reunion? pay one of the union’s former drivers, who now runs a production company that books artists for those concerts, an even $5,000 three times for “airline tix,” at least partly in cash? help pay Jesse Jackson’s medical bills? These are all expenses alleged to have been paid by 1199SEIU, the largest health-care workers’ union in the country, in a story by Maya Kaufman of Politico. The union’s president, George Gresham, has been in office since 2007, when he was elected unopposed. There hasn’t been a competitive election for union president since 1989.
1199 SEIU boss George Gresham accused of corruption — but no Democrat will investigate
April 14, 2025 // His rivals accuse the chronically ill Gresham (who draws a $300,000 salary) of numerous misappropriations, including: $60,000 to cover his daughter’s room, board and transportation to accompany him on business trips as his caregiver. Over $300,000 on a “get out the vote” concert series that coincided with Gresham family reunions. $17,000 on a hotel next to Montefiore Medical Center when he was receiving dialysis treatment. $86,000 for flights to South Africa in 2014 and 2018. A no-show union job that’s paid a Gresham ally over $1 million since 2009.
UAW Leader Gets $275K Payday While Union Dips Further Into Red
April 3, 2025 // Given the fact that former UAW president Gary Jones pleaded guilty to using union money to pay for personal expenses and was sentenced to 28 months in prison in 2021, it’s no surprise that members are keeping a close eye on executive pay. In Fain’s case, while his gross salary was $229,514, total payments from the union, including official business disbursements, reached $274,407 in 2024. The next top earner within the UAW was Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock,who earned a salary of $224,861, with total payments amounting to $247,169. Vice Presidents Mike Booth, Rich Boyer, and Chuck Browning all received the same $211,001 in gross salaries, while the head of the union’s Stellantis department, Kevin Gotinsky, had a total salary of $177,942. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, the UAW’s membership grew from 370,239 in 2023 to 375,161 in 2024. This came thanks in part to its successful effort to unionize the VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but remains down from the 383,003 members it had in 2022.