According to Amy Westfeldt of the Associated Press:
A union local representing 1,500 crane and heavy-equipment operators has been put under federal prosecutors’ control after more than two dozen members were convicted of mob-related corruption in recent years.
A consent decree between prosecutors and Local 14 of the International Union of Operating Engineers allows a federal judge to appoint two officers who can dismiss and appoint union officials, seize union assets and visit job sites to root out corruption.
The agreement resolves civil racketeering claims brought from past mob corruption cases, including an indictment that sent reputed acting Colombo family boss Joel Cacace to prison for 20 years. . . .
In 2020, Johnny Doc was recorded threatening to “beat up,” “run over,” and “put under water” any rank-and-filers who cooperated with federal prosecutors. But he still publicly claims to be all about helping workers!
Glacier Northwest Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 174 has been brought before the Supreme Court.
No union, but especially not one with multiple top officials convicted in federal court of accepting bribes and embezzling workers’ dues money, should be allowed to impose unionization on workers by colluding with company officials to bypass a secret ballot vote. That’s why it is critical that any state incentive package includes a condition that the decision over whether to unionize the proposed Ford-SK Innovation Western Tennessee plant be made with workers having the full protection of a federally supervised secret ballot vote, and absent any backroom deal between company and UAW officials.