LIUNA Independent Hearing Officer-
Peter Vaira, Esq.
LIUNA GEB Attorney,
Robert Luskin, Esq.
In the event, John Matassa is found guilty of the charges now under
consideration
by the IHO either before or after the election, there will be
a need for a new election as opposed to
allowing the executive board to
appoint a new president should my efforts to get the members to vote
in
favor of a supervisorship fail next tuesday. If we succeed, the
supervisor can appoint one
or call for new elections (whatever the GEB
Attorney thinks best) should the need arise.
Supplementing my election protest of May 1, 1999
wherein I ask that IG agents
obtain
immediately a copy of Vince DiVarco's handwritten notes of the
nomination and call for new nominations
for all offices for the reasons
stated, I have been informed the following constitutional and/or Ethical
provisions were not adhered to in order to assure a free, fair, and honest
election:
- The three judges of election are intimately associated with Mike
Christopher. Two are relatives,
the third is dependent on Christopher for a
political job.
- The salaries were not mentioned to the members nor was compensation
discussed.
- The members were not informed a combination of office had been rejected by
the International.
- The members do not know Matassa is being charged with violations of the
EDP. Members do not read the "Coia rag". Others do not receive the
International's propaganda because the local does not maintain current
addresses of members.
- The chairman, Matassa, did not mention the requirement candidates
must appear before the election judges.
- The judges did not mention the time and place for examination much less
that there would be an examination nor have they made any attempt to
contact all candidates.
- Members were not encouraged to protest the qualification of candidates, ie
to exercise their moral/ethical duty to report corruption.
- There was no contest for business manager, the position organized crime
doesn't want to lose. Reschedule another nomination meeting without the
coercive presence of known organized crime members and with the presence
of personnel reformers can trust and there will be candidates to oppose the
incumbent slate of candidates.
- The judges of election have not obtained completive bids for the supplying
of voting machines. No attempt has been made todate to obtain voting
machines. We don't trust voting machines provided by cronies of organized
crime or from companies in which Connerton has a financial interest.
We intend to have a mail in ballot and will vote accordingly, with ballots
counted by the Corporation Trust Company or a reputable accounting/law firm
without mob connections or business. We want the ballot boxes under
constant video surveillance if required. a motion to this effect will be
offered.
- The executive board did not mention the election of delegates to other
bodies, conferences,
to which the local membership can elect
delegates-AFL-CIO COPE. etc
- We will offer a motion that all members of the executive board be notified
by e-mail and pager of any meetings of the executive board. DiMaggio was
not told about the executive board meeting held prior to the nomination
meeting even though he is an incumbent vice president
- Union meetings in January and February were cancelled by Matassa even
though a quorum was present.
Matassa told the 20 members that 21 members
were required for a quorum. Debate on issues
affecting the local was
purposely avoided as well as the news that in all probability the local
would be
put into supervisorship.or trusteeship
- Matassa's
letter of May 3,1999 (postmarked May 4,1999) to the members informing them
that the nomination of delegates was not handled properly and will be
rescheduled for the next union meeting (May 11, 1999), while not in
conformity with the seven day notice requirement, proposes
unconstitutional procedures. LUUC Art VII, section 1 clearly provides that "A
special meeting, to be known as the "Nomination Meeting, shall be held....
A special meeeting is required and will be voted on by the membership as to
time aand place.
Every decision of the executive board the members don't
like will be voted on by the members. The members will take back control of
their union from organized crime.
Laborers for JUSTICEŠ 1999 Web published as a service to LIUNA local 2
members by members of Laborers for JUSTICE. Web published to raise
money to help pay for LMRDA lawsuits against corrupt union officials and to
publish more information to assist LIUNA members in the effective exercise of
their right of self governance. Not for republication on other web sites without
the express written permission of Laborers for JUSTICE. Unauthorized publication
on other web sites will sabotage our reform efforts, constitute copyright
infringement, harm our fund raising efforts, and demonstrate the publisher to be
a thief and unethical person unworthy of being called a "real
laborer".