Featured Posts

The Latest

October 2011 Big Labor Criminal Roundup

October 2011 Big Labor Criminal Roundup

From the US DOL we find that union corruption and criminal behavior continues.   Here are some highlights from October: Patricia Moore, former employee and Secretary-Treasurer of the National Union of Protective Services Associations (NUPSA), located in Washington, D.C., with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for obtaining $109,866.17 from NUPSA and the National Union of Law Enforcement Associations (NULEA) for her personal use. Frank Rago, former Representative of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and former President of ILA Local 1604 (located in Stoneham, Mass.), was sentenced to one year and one day incarceration followed by three years supervised release. Rago was also ordered to pay $216,384.57 in restitution. Freda Hensley, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-14505 (located in West Logan, W.Va.), pled guilty to a one count indictment of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) for embezzling $38,539.68 in union funds. The full list from DOL: On October 19, 2011, in the United States District Court of Massachusetts, Joseph Pavone, former President of Laborers Local 560 (located in Waltham, Mass.), pled guilty to three counts of receiving unlawful labor payments in the amount of $6,466.80, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 186(b)(1) and (d)(2).  The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General. On October 17, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Freda Hensley, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-14505 (located in West Logan, W.Va.), pled guilty to a one count indictment of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) for embezzling $38,539.68 in union funds.  The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office. On October 14, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Dennis Lee McGee, Jr., former President of Steelworkers Local 9-9506 (located in Bynum, Ala.), pled guilty to three counts of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) for embezzling union funds totaling $1,950.  McGee was then sentenced to three years probation and was ordered to pay $7,600 in restitution and a $300 special assessment.  The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office. On October 14, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Thomas Wagner, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 897 (located in Cheektowaga, N.Y.), was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and was ordered to make restitution of $5,526.  On June 26, 2011, Wagner pled guilty to falsifying union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. On October 13, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, a criminal information was filed charging Patricia Moore, former employee and Secretary-Treasurer of the National Union of Protective Services Associations (NUPSA), located in Washington, D.C., with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for obtaining $109,866.17 from NUPSA and the National Union of Law Enforcement Associations (NULEA) for her personal use, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371.  The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. On October 13, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Max Messamore, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 2039 (located in Somerset, Ky.), was sentenced to two years probation, fined $500, and was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $2,293.77.  He was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $25.  On May 19, 2011, Messamore pled guilty to failing to maintain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a).  The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office. On October 12, 2011, in the County of Westmoreland in the state of Pennsylvania, Lesa Major, former Secretary-Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 14821 (located in Monessen, Pa.), was sentenced for Theft by Unlawful Taking which had been reduced to a misdemeanor at sentencing.  Major paid restitution of $2,500 prior to sentencing and as stated in the plea agreement, probation was terminated when restitution was paid.  The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office. On October 11, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Nichelle Alstatt, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Professional Office Personnel Alliance (POPA), located in Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced to five years probation, with a series of special conditions which included the successful completion of substance abuse and mental health treatment and the completion of 40 hours of community service.  Alstatt was also ordered to pay $51,613.37 in restitution through a garnishment of her wages and a lump sum court assessment of $150.  On June 8, 2011, Alstatt pled guilty to one count of embezzlement in the amount of $51,636.37, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); one count of making false entries in required records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c); and one count of making false entries in reports required to be filed under the LMRDA, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b).  The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
Beleaguered Local Cops 'Completely Outnumbered'

Beleaguered Local Cops 'Completely Outnumbered'

In southwestern Washington last month, overpowered police were unable to prevent bat- and ax handle-wielding union toughs from systematically sabotaging a $200 million grain terminal. No arrests were made at the scene. Credit: AP Photo/Don Ryan Bat- and Pipe-Wielding Union Thugs Rampage in Washington State (Source: October 2011 NRTWC Newsletter) For decades, Right to Work advocates have fought to close the judicially created loophole in federal anti-extortion law that exempts threats, vandalism and violence perpetrated to secure so-called "legitimate union objectives," including monopoly-bargaining and forced-dues privileges over employees. In explaining the importance of closing the loophole created 38 years ago in the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial 5-4 Enmons decision, National Right to Work Committee spokesmen and their allies have pointed out, time and again, that local and state law enforcement are often overwhelmed by violent union conspiracies. Just last month, the local police in Longview, Wash., a Columbia River port town, became the latest case in point. At 4:30 AM on September 8, hundreds of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU/AFL-CIO) militants stormed a new grain terminal at the Port of Longview. Big Labor thugs broke down the gates, overwhelmed six security guards, and then converged on the terminal of EGT, a joint venture of U.S., Japanese, and South Korean companies that has been targeted by ILWU chiefs. A week later, security guard Charlie Cadwell testified before U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton that every ILWU "protester" he saw that night was carrying a baseball bat, lead pipe, garden tool, or other weapon. As the AP reported, Mr. Cadwell told the judge he was first pulled out of his car by one Big Labor zealot, then another swung a metal pipe at him. "I told him," Mr. Cadwell continued, "You have 50 cameras on you, and law enforcement is on its way. He said, '(Expletive) you. We're not here for you; we're here for the train.'" Meanwhile, yet another union militant drove off with his car and eventually ran it into a ditch. Mr. Cadwell said "about 40 to 50 people were throwing rocks at him, and that he was hit between his eyes and in his knee," according to the AP account. 'I Wasn't About' to Stop 'These People From Doing Whatever It Is They Were Going to Do' The ILWU lawbreakers in Washington State evidently feel no more compunction about using threats and violence against police than they do about assaulting and terrorizing security guards.
Beleaguered Local Cops 'Completely Outnumbered'

Beleaguered Local Cops 'Completely Outnumbered'

In southwestern Washington last month, overpowered police were unable to prevent bat- and ax handle-wielding union toughs from systematically sabotaging a $200 million grain terminal. No arrests were made at the scene. Credit: AP Photo/Don Ryan Bat- and Pipe-Wielding Union Thugs Rampage in Washington State (Source: October 2011 NRTWC Newsletter) For decades, Right to Work advocates have fought to close the judicially created loophole in federal anti-extortion law that exempts threats, vandalism and violence perpetrated to secure so-called "legitimate union objectives," including monopoly-bargaining and forced-dues privileges over employees. In explaining the importance of closing the loophole created 38 years ago in the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial 5-4 Enmons decision, National Right to Work Committee spokesmen and their allies have pointed out, time and again, that local and state law enforcement are often overwhelmed by violent union conspiracies. Just last month, the local police in Longview, Wash., a Columbia River port town, became the latest case in point. At 4:30 AM on September 8, hundreds of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU/AFL-CIO) militants stormed a new grain terminal at the Port of Longview. Big Labor thugs broke down the gates, overwhelmed six security guards, and then converged on the terminal of EGT, a joint venture of U.S., Japanese, and South Korean companies that has been targeted by ILWU chiefs. A week later, security guard Charlie Cadwell testified before U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton that every ILWU "protester" he saw that night was carrying a baseball bat, lead pipe, garden tool, or other weapon. As the AP reported, Mr. Cadwell told the judge he was first pulled out of his car by one Big Labor zealot, then another swung a metal pipe at him. "I told him," Mr. Cadwell continued, "You have 50 cameras on you, and law enforcement is on its way. He said, '(Expletive) you. We're not here for you; we're here for the train.'" Meanwhile, yet another union militant drove off with his car and eventually ran it into a ditch. Mr. Cadwell said "about 40 to 50 people were throwing rocks at him, and that he was hit between his eyes and in his knee," according to the AP account. 'I Wasn't About' to Stop 'These People From Doing Whatever It Is They Were Going to Do' The ILWU lawbreakers in Washington State evidently feel no more compunction about using threats and violence against police than they do about assaulting and terrorizing security guards.