May 24, 1999

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

    At our members' expense, on December 29,1998 Mike Fitzgerald wrote you a letter, 
attacking me and others who protested with the Department of Labor as to his use of employer 
funds. He said 'There is no NO WAY I would allow dirty money in my campaign."

    After he sent this letter, however, the Local entered a settlement of the suit brought by 
the Secretary of Labor. I wish the settlement could be printed in its entirety in News and Views.
 I will summarize the main points:

"(Local 134) agrees that any connection between the 
Unified Social Club and Local 134's internal union political 
process will be severed immediately,.," 
"(Local 134) will take steps to insure that...-future ... 
campaigns involving the current incumbent officers ... 
will be funded solely by contributions received from sources 
other than employer funds..."(N0) funds will be accepted by 
candidates. ...from Unified or any other social club receiving 
employer funds.... 
"( Local 134 members must be informed) that the (Secretary 
of Labor) has concluded that the promotion of a candidate 
for union office by a social club which accepts funds violates 
federal law.

    In other words because Mike Fitzgerald took money from Unified and because Unified
raises its money from our employers, Mike Fitzgerald funded his campaign in a way that violates 
federal law,

    In the view of myself and the Rank and File Slate, Mike Fitzgerald has in effect admitted 
that he funded his campaign with dirty or illegal money. He has agreed that the Unified Social 
Club has to be removed from our internal union politics completely. He has now resigned as 
Unified's chairman, and agreed that he will  no longer hold any Unified office. Furthermore, in a 
related case, a federal court has barred the Unified Social Club from soliciting any more employer 
money, The court has required that all officers and employees of Local 134 resign from any office  
or position of responsibility with the Unified Social Club.

    The worst misconduct by any union officer is to accept money from the employers with 
whom he bargains. Fitzgerald has raised tens of thousands of dollars from employers who 
deal with out Local He has used this money to build up the Unified Social Club and increase his
 visibility and political support.

    In short. his political career in this respect has received substantial financial support from 
employers. Because of this our Local has bad to sip a con sent decree to remove the Unified 
Social Club from our politics.

    The consent decree which I have summarized is a positive step. But Mike Fitzgerald was 
not required to return the money that Unified had raised from employers. To that extent Mike 
Fitzgerald, in oar view, remains at least in the moral debt of many employers It is reasonable to 
fear that he owes them a favor.

    I invite Mike Fitzgerald to work to restore a strong Local 134. It is important that we be 
strong and unified as a Local Union.

    In that spirit, I ask Mike Fitzgerald and the other officers of the Local to return to the 
employers all the money they have raised from such employers since they took office.

Fraternally yours,

    s/Charles J Chathas

Charles J. Chathas

of Laborers for JUSTICE as a service to his IBEW brothers and sisters.