MY COMMENTS AND OPINION-Jim Howard

MY COMMENTS AND OPINION

SEPTEMBER 14, 2000

By James Howard member in good standing Laborers Local 152. (Retired)

This is September 14, 2000 and I have not received an answer to my letters to Laborers Local 152 dated April 17, 2000 and May 22, 2000.

The April 17, 2000 letters was sent to all officers of Laborers Local 152. The letters requested that the officers of Laborers Local 152 exercise their fiduciary duty and compel a full accounting to the membership of Laborers Local 152 on the embezzlement of Laborers Local 152 funds 1984-1985.

15 years after the fact!

Mike Lazzaretto reports embezzlement to the membership.

The questions raised in these letters are:

1. Who was the Officer of Local 152 who was taking our money?

2. Was it reported to the proper authority?

3. Was it reported to the Laborers Chicago District Council?

4. Was it reported to the Laborers International Union of North America?

The May 22, 2000 letter was sent to President-Business Manger John M. Lazzaretto. This letter raised these questions.

May 22, 2000

Mr. John M. Lazzaretto

President-Business Manger

Laborers Local Union 152

409 Temple Ave

Highland Park, Illinois 60035

Mr. Lazzaretto:

Before the regular local 152 union meeting for May 2000 you made a special announcement concerning the embezzlement reported on the 1984-1985 Laborers Local 152 Lm-2. You made statements that raise several questions. These statements I believe need clarity. I'm requesting a written response to my questions and concerns.

1. The special announcement before the May 2000 152 union meeting. Was this a full accounting to the membership of LIUNA Local 152?

2. Why was John B. Lazzaretto allowed to continue in the office of Secretary-Treasurer LIUNA Local 152 until 6-30-86?

3. Why was John B. Lazzaretto allowed to return to the office of Secretary-Treasurer LIUNA Local 152 for the years 7-1-91 to 6-30-94?

4. Why wasn't this embezzlement reported to the Highland Park, Illinois police department, Lake County States Attorney, United States Attorney or the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

5. Why did you sign the 7-1-84 to 6-30-85 LIUNA Local 152 LM-2 as Treasurer when you were Vice President and John B. Lazzaretto was the Secretary-Treasurer during this time period?

6. Was the money from this embezzlement reported to the I.R.S.?

7. Why wasn't the letters I sent (April 17, 2000) to the officers of LIUNA Local 152 read to the membership?

8. You stated you signed the 1984-1985 LM-2 under oath. Do you consider the signing of the 84-85 LM-2 as proper notification to federal authorities of this embezzlement?

9. Is it your position that Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards was responsible to report this embezzlement to the proper authority since LIUNA Local 152 reported it on the 1984-1985 LM-2?

Mr. John M. Lazzaretto I again request a written reply to my questions and concerns. I also request a copy of the audits that found the embezzlement of 152 funds and show the repayment of the embezzled funds with the interest collected.

Thank you

James E. Howard

2901 Elisha Apt B

Zion, Illinois 60099

847.731.6301

Member in good standing LIUNA Local Union 152 (retired)

I have not received an answer to date from Laborers Local 152 Executive Board or their Attorney.

Hogan, Marren & McCaHILL,Ltd.

WHAT QUESTION OR QUESTIONS RAISED IN THESE TWO LETTERS ARE THEY AFRAID OF? I HAVE TO WONDER IF THERE'S, A SMOKING GUN QUESTION THEY ARE DUCKING? IF SO WHICH ONE IS IT? MAYBE ALL OF THEM!

WITH THE HELP OF AN ATTORNEY, THEY STILL CAN'T ANSWER!

FIDUCIARY DUTY?

BREAKING NEWS

AUGUST 16 & 24, 2000

The Laborers Pension Fund, The Laborers Health and Welfare Fund, Department of the Construction and General Laborers District Council of Chicago and Vicinity;

Joseph Coconato Charles Cohen

James P. Connolly Randy Dalton

Mark Deetjen Martin T. Flanagan

Charles J. Gallagher Wayne E. Healy

J. Michael Lazzaretto David Lorig

Gary Lundsberg Robert J. Madden

Tod Masters Liberato Naimoli

Dennis Passarelli Scott Pavlis

Frank Riley Roger Vignocchi

Sam Vinci James S. Jorgensen

Filed a law suit against Hugh B. Arnold and his law firm.

Copy of law suit included in this newsletter.

I have to wonder how many of the plaintiffs in this case against Hugh B. Arnold should be the defendants in law suits. It's the old saying "the pot calling the kettle black". No one is as happy as I am they are suing Attorney Hugh B. Arnold. What I would like to know is why did it take so long? No voice that I know of was raised against Hugh B. Arnold when he was the attorney for the laborers in any of its entities. Some of the plaintiffs in this law suit were in a position to know what Hugh B. Arnold was doing when he was doing it and never raised a voice until now. I find it hard to believe that no one knew. When Hugh B. Arnold was Laborers Local 152's attorney Mike Lazzaretto and company didn't see any wrong.

Sam Salerno lost the election at Laborers Local 225 for the second time. The word I get is Sam Salerno after losing tried to transfer his card (book) back to Laborers Local 152 and supervisor for the District Council Robert "bobbie-count the money" Bloch stop the transfer. Why do we need Robert "bobbie-count the money" Bloch? As supervisor of the Chicago District Council, what is his responsibility? How much do we pay this jerk? With duly elected officers in place at our District Council they should be able to do the job with out a supervisor. If they can't we can get someone who can.

The only reason I can see for Robert "Bobbie-count the money" Bloch to still be around, is he stuck the money siphon deep into the working laborers pockets. I say this to the powers that be. Let the laborers and the court monitor handle the District Council!

Kick this jerk out!

He is not a laborer and has no idea what a laborer is! He has counted enough of our money!

We have Steven A. Miller as Court Monitor of the Construction & General Laborers District Council of Chicago and Vicinity. Why do we also need Robert "Bobbie-count the money" Block? Kick this jerk out and take the money we pay him and give it to Monitor Steven A. Miller's budget.

Robert "Bobbie-count the money" Block allowed the District Council to buy a building according to Mike Lazzaretto: cost us TWO MILLION DOLLARS and held in trust with attorney Edward M. Hogan's name on it. This is the same attorney Local 152 hired to defend the Local’s executive board against my letters and still can't answer them.

LOCAL 2

August 22, 2000 LIUNA General Executive Board Attorney Robert D. Luskin informed Joe Romano that he was replacing Mr. Romano as Trustee of Laborers Local 2 with Randy Dalton, an officer of Local 681. I'm not a fan of Joe Romano, I look at him as a carpetbagger from the Steelworkers. With that said, I have heard nothing but good about Mr. Romano's work at Laborers Local 5 & Local 2. Replacing Joe Romano with Randy Dalton is a big mistake.

I view this move by Mr. Luskin as a sham. Appear to correct a problem, but return the control back to the bad guys. I think that Mr. Riley is happy about this move.

Mr. Luskin why don't you show us how smart you are and how concerned you are for the reform of the Laborers Union and return of control of this union to the membership by taking your “gold bars” and leaving the office of GEB Attorney of LIUNA. Let the membership have some fresh air!

Arthur Coia put you in that office, O'Sullivan is keeping you in this office, DOJ kissing your ass. I know it would be hard to quit when you have these conditions. Do the right thing.

GET THE HELL OUT OF LIUNA!

Who knows maybe Al Gore will ask you to be

Attorney General of the United States.