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>
>> > >IS CORRUPTION A PROBLEM WITHIN UFCW ?
>> > >
>> > > Research-Education-Advocacy-People (REAP), a national reform
>>movement
>> > > founded by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) members, has
>> > > examined many issues facing UFCW members, including but not limited
>>to:
>> > > lack of union democracy; no leadership accountability to the
>>membership;
>> > > UFCW bargaining, organizing and mergers; leadership salaries and
>> > > bureaucracy expenditures, etc. While we did not set out to look for
>> > > corruption within UFCW, corruption in one form or another continually
>> > > surfaced as we examined other issues. After ten years of seeing the
>> > > corruption issue occur time and time again, we have concluded that
>>UFCW
>> > > is riddled with serious scandal.
>> > >
>> > >THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES AND DEGREES OF CORRUPTION
>> > >
>> > > It is our belief that most unions and leaders in the trade union
>> > > movement conduct their business of representing the workers in an
>>honest
>> > > and responsible manner. However, when corruption becomes rooted in a
>> > > union, it can create a paralysis that robs the union of its ability
>to
>> > > properly represent the membership's best interest. When this happens
>>it
>> > > becomes destructive for the union, its members, the trade union
>>movement
>> > > in general and often the public.
>> > >
>> > > There are many different types and degrees of corruption that can
>> > > occur within a union. Some forms of corruption can clearly be
>>identified
>> > > as violating applicable law, for example, embezzling union funds,
>>misuse
>> > > of union resources; taking bribes; allowing organized crime to
>>infiltrate
>> > > into the union; election fraud, etc. These are the types of
>corruption
>> > > that sometimes receive media attention and bring instant
>condemnation.
>> > >
>> > > There are other types of corruption that violate good trade union
>> > > principles and leadership accountability to the membership but
>receive
>>no
>> > > publicity and remain unknown to members and the public alike. For
>> > > example, a leadership can use an undemocratic union constitution to
>>empty
>> > > the union treasury by enriching themselves with outrageous salaries,
>> > > lucrative benefits and expensive perks. This form of corruption may
>>not
>> > > violate a law, but it is just as destructive as stealing money from
>>the
>> > > union outright. In fact, it may be more insidious because, in an
>> > > undemocratic, top down union where the constitution is controlled by
>>the
>> > > few, it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the
>> > > rank-and-file to learn about and correct this type of corruption.
>> > >
>> > > In order to keep their high paying jobs, benefits, perks and power
>> > > and, at the same time, avoid membership backlash in the union hall
>and
>>at
>> > > the ballot box, the bureaucracy creates an undemocratic union
>> > > constitution that allows only a few in the union to virtually
>control
>>it.
>> > > The constitution provides little or no leadership accountability to
>>the
>> > > membership and denies meaningful rank-and-file input into their
>union.
>> > >
>> > > With little leadership accountability to the membership, the
>> > > bureaucracy makes its decisions and runs the union, first and
>>foremost,
>> > > in an effort to enrich themselves and enjoy the good life that a
>large
>> > > union treasury can bring. In other words, instead of the leaders
>>serving
>> > > the members, its the members serving the leadership--that is serving
>>up a
>> > > large part of their dues to the leaders and getting little in return.
>> > >
>> > > Within much of the UFCW leadership (Past and Present), a whole
>>culture
>> > > has developed around the belief that outrageous salaries, benefits
>and
>> > > perks are their birthright. They believe that the misuse of union
>>funds
>> > > and resources, including falsifying reports, is acceptable. If
>someone
>>in
>> > > the bureaucracy is caught doing something illegal or improper, they
>>are
>> > > given a wink of the eye or a slap on the back--and often a financial
>> > > bonus--and then ushered into retirement with a big fat pension check
>>each
>> > > month.
>> > >
>> > > This year the UFCW International Union leadership advised its
>local
>> > > unions that it was increasing the monthly per capita (dues) from the
>> > > local unions to the International Union by .50 U.S. cents. The
>monthly
>> > > per capita paid to the International Union by each local union will
>> > > increase from $8.54 per member, per month to $9.04. The 50 cent
>>increase
>> > > will bring in over $8 million U.S. additional dollars each year. The
>> > > International Union took in slightly over $135 million U.S. from the
>> > > members in the year 2000. Of the $135,456,079 in per capita tax
>taken
>>in,
>> > > salaries and benefits for the bureaucracy ate up $95,631,820 which is
>> > > over 70% of the per capita collected for the year.
>> > >
>> > > It is interesting to note that in the year 2000, the combined
>>salaries
>> > > of some 25 UFCW International Officers on the International Union
>>payroll
>> > > ($3,513,452) substantially exceeded strike benefits paid to
>>rank-and-file
>> > > members ($2,024,515).
>> > >
>> > > In conjunction with a steady dose of per capita increases and
>> > > outrageous officers salaries, the leadership has established one of
>>the
>> > > worst bargaining records in the labor movement: they use the members
>>dues
>> > > to buy mergers and call it organizing; through bad investments they
>>have
>> > > squandered away tens of millions of the union members dues dollars;
>>they
>> > > have created one of the most undemocratic unions in the movement to
>> > > assure that they will stay in office; and certain leaders have
>engaged
>>in
>> > > corruption which has brought down some of the highest officials in
>the
>> > > UFCW International Union.
>> > >
>> > > In fact, seven officers who retired on very good retirement
>>benefits
>> > > from the UFCW International Union pension plan received lump sum
>>payments
>> > > when they retired above and beyond their pension benefits which
>>totaled
>> > > more than strike benefits paid to rank-and-file members in the year
>>2000.
>> > >
>> > >RETIRED UFCW INTERNATIONAL UNION OFFICERS
>> > >
>> > > OFFICER LUMP SUM AMOUNT
>> > >*Joseph Talarico* $817,857.00
>> > >Dave Barry $453,510.00
>> > >Robert Novicoff $416,587.00
>> > >Gerald Menapace $389,298.00
>> > >Thomas McNutt $328,989.00
>> > >Jay Foreman $311,476.00
>> > >Lenore Miller $254,693.00
>> > >
>> > > Even though former UFCW Secretary-Treasurer *Joseph Talarico* pled
>> > > guilty to embezzling more than a million dollars from the union he
>>still
>> > > received a lump sum payment of over $800,000.00
>> > >
>> > > No one can legitimately argue against the proposition that an
>> > > International Union should be properly financed; however, most of the
>> > > money should not go to maintaining an unnecessarily large and
>>expensive
>> > > bureaucracy. Most of the funds should be used to establish a large
>>strike
>> > > fund; to maintain a collective bargaining department that has a full
>> > > range of ongoing support services for the field including a program
>to
>> > > protect and advance a national standard of wages, benefits, and
>>working
>> > > conditions; to maintain an organizing department that has the skills,
>> > > resources, and strategies needed for organizing unorganized workers
>in
>> > > the new millennium. In addition, they should be used to fund an
>> > > educational department that would provide program's designed to make
>> > > active and informed progressive trade unionists of rank-and-file and
>> > > leaders alike; a safety department with the skills and resources to
>> > > assist the field in addressing the many work station hazards, and a
>> > > research department with a full range of services to the field which
>> > > provides up to date analysis and reports on a broad range of issues
>>and
>> > topics.
>> > >
>> > > Unfortunately, UFCW is one of the biggest unions in North America
>>and
>> > > many of its operational endeavors are not much more than shell
>>operations
>> > > compared to unions half their size. In UFCW there is too much
>emphasis
>>on
>> > > the bureaucracy and feeding it and very little on the Rank-and-File
>>and
>> > > real services to them and their local unions.
>> > >
>> > >In Solidarity,
>> > >Steve Guiliano
>> > >ufcw local 1000a
>> > >REAP
>> >
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
>
*********** END FORWARDED MESSAGE ***********
------------------------
REAP
ufcw Local 1000a
c/o: Steve Guiliano
reapcanada@hotmail.com
Title I - Bill of Rights for Union Members
A. You have equal rights and privileges within the union to nominate candidates, to vote in elections, to participate in meetings and to vote upon the business of the meetings, subject to reasonable rules in the union constitution and bylaws.
B. You have the right to engage in free speech activities and to assemble freely with other union members, without reprisals from union officials. Examples of such activities are:
Criticizing union officials
Expressing any viewpoint at union meetings, subject to reasonable rules about the conduct of meetings
Distributing literature outside the union hall of inside the hall if members cannot be
reasonably reached from the outside.
Holding separate caucus meetings of rank-and-file members without interference of union
officials.
C. You have a right to a secret ballot vote on the rates of dues, initiation fees and assessments.
D. You have the right to sue the union without reprisal, but you may first be required to exhaust
the internal union appeal procedures for no more than four months.
E. You are protected from improper union discipline that does not allow for due process and a fair hearing.
You have a right to receive a copy of the labor contract that covers you, along with all supplements, and to inspect contracts that your local union administers.
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>>From: REAPINC@aol.com
>>To: REAPINC@aol.com
>>Subject: REAP Website
>>Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 14:40:04 EST
>>
>>NOTICE ABOUT THE REAP WEBSITE
>>
>>As of February 22, 2002, we have updated a good deal of our information in
>>our Website and we have added new information. For example, if you click
>>on
>>to the link "Profile of The Meat Packing Industry" you will find an
>updated
>>report on the meat packing industry with the latest available statistics.
>>This would be a good report to print out and make copies for board
>members,
>>stewards and interested members.
>>
>>We have made similar changes in our link titled "Profile of The Retail
>>Grocery Store Industry." We are still updating this link but many changes
>>are now in the link for your review.
>>
>>If you click on to the link titled "Rights of Union Members/UFCW
>>Elections/Union Democracy/Reform Recommendations" you will find detailed
>>information about running for UFCW union office, rights of union members
>>under federal law, standards of democracy and reform recommendations. All
>>this information can serve as a great educational tool.
>>
>>Click on to the link "Related Publications and Websites" We have
>>recommended
>>several new books to read and several new websites have been added.
>>
>>As always, the link titled "All About UFCW Briefing Papers" has in-depth
>>information on democracy within UFCW, Corruption within UFCW, the
>structure
>>of UFCW, bargaining in the meat packing and retail industries, challenges
>>facing union reformers. In this link is all you need to know about said
>>issues.
>>
>>While we have no immediate thoughts of taking the REAP Website down
>>nevertheless, nothing stays around for ever. Use it for it is a great
>>resource and educational vehicle.
>
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
>
*********** END FORWARDED MESSAGE ***********
------------------------
REAP
ufcw Local 1000a
c/o: Steve Guiliano
reapcanada@hotmail.com
THE UFCW INTERNATIONAL UNION BUREAUCRACY
SUCKS UP TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THEMSELVES
According to the latest LM-2 report, filed by the UFCW International Union with the
U.S. Department of Labor (for the year 2000), the International Union took in
$135,456,079 in per capita tax (union dues). During this same period of time,
salaries and benefits ate up $95,631,820 which is over 70 percent of the per
capita collected for the year.
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT ON THE BUREAUCRACY
Year
Per Capita
Collected
Int'l Union
Officers'
Salaries
Int'l Union
Employees
Benefits
Paid Out
2000
$135,456,079
$3,513.452
$20,626.280
$71,492.088
Just 25 International Union officers on the International Union payroll consumed
$3.5 million in salaries alone. See reverse side of this handbill for specific names
of officers and their salaries. When examining the salaries of the UFCW
International Union officers, a few statistics need to be kept in mind. According to
the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics the average hourly
earnings for the year 2000 translate into the following annual earnings for the meat
packing and retail food industries based on a forty hour work week. UFCW
represents a million members in these industries and asserts a strong influence
on the wages paid in meat packing and retail food industries.
Meat Packing Slaughter
Meat Packing Processing
Retail Food
$22,796.80
$23,753.60
$20,671.40
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1999 the per capita income of
Americans was $21,181.00. Again, according to the U.S. Census Bureau the
median household income in 1999 was $40,816.00. To reach this figure usually
required two people in the family working.
The UFCW International Union officers are among the wage elite in this nation.
They are among the highest five percent of the wage earners in America. They
receive more than what ninety-five percent of all Americans are paid. They do not
have the slightest idea of what it is like to struggle today on $20,000.00 to
$25,000.00 a year. Nor do they know what it is like to have both spouses working
to make $40,816.00 while trying to keep a family together.
Just as important, the UFCW International Union officers are among the highest
paid officials in the trade union movement yet, they have one of the worst
bargaining records in the labor movement; they use the members dues to buy
mergers and call it organizing; they engage in corruption which has brought down
some of the highest officials in the UFCW International Union; through bad
investments they have squandered away tens of millions of the union members
dues dollars; and they have created one of the most undemocratic unions in the
movement to assure that they will stay in office.
OFFICERS ON THE UFCW INTERNATIONAL UNION PAYROLL
Name
Title
Salary
Douglas Dority
President
$290,530
Joseph Hansen
Secretary-Treasurer
$223,100
Sarah Amos
Executive Vice
President
$197,367
Walter Sauter
Executive Vice
President
$197,367
Anthony Perrone
Executive Vice
President
$197,367
Susan Phillips
Vice President
$145,247
George Saleeby
Vice President
$145,247
William Schmitz
Vice President
$145,247
Patricia Scarcelli
Vice President
$145,247
Kevin Williamson
Vice President
$145,247
James Altom
Vice President
$129,450
Willie Baker
Vice President
$145,247
Dwayne Carman
Vice President
$145,247
William Danio
Vice President
$145,247
Mary Finger
Vice President
$145,247
Michael Fraser
Vice President
$98,364
Gregory Hamblet
Vice President
$145,247
Sean Harrigan
Vice President
$145,247
Marvin Hrubes
Vice President
$145,247
Carl Huber (retired)
Executive Vice
President
$56,399
David Johnson
Vice President
$129,450
Michael Leonard
Vice President
$173,207
Frank Martino
Vice President
$129,450
Gary Nebeker
Vice President
$145,247
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