Workers in the grocery stores in New York City and surrounding areas are forced to pay union dues and fees to keep their jobs. It appears this revenue is not enough for the union officials who enjoy the privilege.
Police arrested the president, former president, and treasurer of Local 348 United Food andCommercial Workers International Union (UFCW) on Thursday. Anthony Fazio Sr., John Fazio Jr., and Anthony Fazio Jr. were charged with racketeering, extortion, money laundering, and witness tampering.
The Fazios used their positions in the union to extort money from employers unionized by the UFCW. They stole more than $2.4 million from union members and employers over the course of 16 years, according to the indictment.
Each leader earned more than $150,000 in annual salary. The UFCW represents more than 6,000 members. It hold close to $7.4 million in assets [source: US DOL LM. The Local 348 office was closed during business hours and could not be reached for comment.