It appears that the Las Vegas chapter of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), Local Union 631, is not heading for trusteeship. Not yet, anyway.
Since December 14, 2010, members of Local 631 have been waiting to hear if trusteeship would be imposed. At that time, a hearing was conducted in response to several complaints concerning the manner in which the Local was being administered by its current officers.
At the hearing, a panel of uninvolved members of the IBT listened to testimony from officers and members of Local 631 in regards to charges ranging from the misappropriation of funds to failure to control jurisdiction.
After the hearing in December, IBT General President James Hoffa received numerous letters from members expressing conflicting views about the desire for trusteeship.
On April 29, in a letter addressed to the officers and members of Local Union 631, Hoffa shared the conclusions of the panel, which based its views on testimony from the hearing.
“Ultimately, the panel concluded that you, the members, are in the best position to determine whether you are satisfied with some or all of the current officers through the election process,” wrote Hoffa. “In view of the fact that the Local’s regularly scheduled election of officers will be held this fall, the panel recommended that a trusteeship not be imposed at this time.”
According to the letter, Hoffa agreed with the panel that the membership is highly divided when it comes to the support of the current officers and the need for trusteeship.
“The panel found that some aspects of the Local are not being conducted properly and that many members believe that the Local leadership does not treat them with respect or protect their interests,” wrote Hoffa. “However, the panel also noted the support expressed by other members for the leadership.”
Instead of going as far as recommending trusteeship for Local 631, the panel offered several recommendations for Hoffa to deal with some of the specific allegations that led to the hearing.
Hoffa has adopted all of the recommendations set forth by the panel and delivered warnings of immediate trusteeship if they are not adhered to by current leadership.
Ron Schwab, an international representative who was tasked to oversee the movie and tradeshow division of Local 107 after a nepotism and favoritism scandal in 2010, has been appointed as an additional Personal Representative to Local 631 to oversee the upcoming convention labor negotiations.
According to the letter, Schwab will have “broad authority to participate in all meetings and bargaining sessions and to make recommendations to the Local Union and negotiating committee.”
Schwab will also assist Mike McElmury, another personal representative who has been assigned to Local 631. McElmury has worked as an international organizer on a number of successful campaigns over the past 10 years.
“In the event the Local Union officials refuse to cooperate with these Personal Representatives or unreasonably refuse to implement suggestions to improve the services Local 631 members deserve, I will be compelled to impose a trusteeship without further hearings,” warned Hoffa.
Another recommendation made by the panel deals with retaliation against members who testified during the hearings.
In the letter, Hoffa notified officers and members that retaliations will not be tolerated and any inappropriate behavior will result in the filing of internal union charges against those responsible.
“And in the event the misconduct is found to have been officially orchestrated or sanctioned by the current officers, I will exercise my discretion to impose a trusteeship to protect the democratic rights of the Local 631 members,” wrote Hoffa.
As a result of the hearings, Local 631 will also have security personnel present at future membership meetings to discourage any incidents hampering a member’s right to attend or participate. Once again, Hoffa warned that charges will be filed against any individual involved in a confrontation of this nature.
As for the officer elections this fall, the Local Union Executive Board will select an independent election service to ensure that they are conducted properly.
Until then, Hoffa reminded both the officers and the members that he will closely monitor the activities of the union through his two personal representatives and that any credible complaints of discrimination will be dealt with swiftly.
“Quite simply, if the Local Union Executive Board is unable or unwilling to set aside personal differences to work for the common objectives of negotiating a good contract in the convention industry, providing members with the maximum job opportunities and preserving teamsters jurisdiction, I will revisit the issue of trusteeship in summary fashion and take the necessary steps to protect the members and assets of the Local,” wrote Hoffa.
To close the letter, Hoffa thanked all the members who participated in the December hearing and shared his hopes that a fair and honest election will give members the opportunity to determine the future direction of the Local.
“The best course for all involved is to cooperate with the Personal Representatives, implement procedures as set forth above and behave in a civil manner toward each other,” wrote Hoffa.
Related Articles
Accusations of misconduct plague Teamsters Local 631
Local 631 trusteeship hearing attendance exceeds capacity
| Home |
| People on the Move |
| National News |
| International News |
| Opinions |
| Tradeshow Calendar |
