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robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 07 December 2004 04:20 PM      Profile for robbie_dee     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Toronto-based construction workers union LIUNA Local 183, also known as the "Universal Workers Union," has been placed into trusteeship, according to a press release issued by the International Union's Central and Eastern Canada office.

quote:
TORONTO, Dec. 6 /CNW/ - An independent investigation has revealed serious allegations of misconduct by officials of Local 183 against immigrant workers and local union members of the Labourers' International Union of North America, the union's Central and Eastern Canada office announced today. The Labourer's Union says the findings have forced it to put the local into emergency trusteeship.

"Ethically and legally, we can't allow even the possibility of this kind of abuse. It goes against everything the Labourers stand for," said Daniel Randazzo, LIUNA Legal Counsel for Central and Eastern Canada. "We did what any responsible union would do, which is to place the local in trusteeship in the face of serious allegations of misconduct," he said.

The allegations of misconduct and serious violations of the union's Canadian Ethical Practices Code outlined in the report produced by an independent investigation team include:

- exploiting undocumented immigrant workers, allowing employers to underpay them and deny benefits to those workers while the local collected their dues;

- showing bias in dealing with contractors, favouring some contractors while treating others unfairly; and

- forging collective agreements and making fraudulent pension credit claims.

The report also found that Local 183 officials tried to obstruct the investigation.


LIUNA press release

Notably, this is the same local union that hosted a swanky $1500 per plate fundraiser for Paul Martin during his leadership bid and has been involved in various other dirty dealings of Toronto Liberal Party politics.

[ 08 December 2004: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]


From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
BLAKE 3:16
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2978

posted 07 December 2004 05:34 PM      Profile for BLAKE 3:16     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Was local 183 also involved in physically intimidating/attacking anti-Olympics activists a couple of years back?

What is their relationship to the various labour centrals and federations?

Edited to add: I seem to also recall them putting forth some quite progressive positions around immigration and the rights of migrant workers. Is this correct?

[ 07 December 2004: Message edited by: BLAKE 3:16 ]


From: Babylon, Ontario | Registered: Aug 2002  |  IP: Logged
radiorahim
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Babbler # 2777

posted 08 December 2004 01:35 AM      Profile for radiorahim     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
What is their relationship to the various labour centrals and federations?

I understand that Local 183 is out of all of them right now.


From: a Micro$oft-free computer | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 08 December 2004 04:15 PM      Profile for robbie_dee     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Labour board rejects attempt to overturn Local 183 trusteeship

TORONTO - The Ontario Labour Relations Board has today rejected an attempt by officials of Local 183 of the Labourers' International Union of North America to overturn yesterday's order from LIUNA placing the local in trusteeship.

The trusteeship order stands. However, the union will not enforce it until an automatic review by a Canadian Independent Hearing Officer is complete, said Daniel Randazzo, LIUNA Legal Counsel for Central and Eastern Canada.

"The labour board decision clears the way for the fairest, most independent process in the Canadian labour movement to continue to its conclusion," Randazzo said.

Yesterday's trusteeship order came following an exhaustive independent investigation that revealed serious allegations of misconduct by Local 183 officials. The allegations include repeated breaches of the union's Canadian Ethical Practices Code, such as exploiting undocumented immigrant workers, showing bias in dealing with contractors, forging collective agreements and making fraudulent pension claims.

Local 183 attempted to block the process by claiming bias on the part of the investigation's leader, Ronald Pink, Q.C., managing partner of Halifax law firm Pink Breen Larkin. The LRB has declined to intervene in LIUNA's internal process.


LIUNA Press Release #2 (Dec. 7, 2004)


From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
robbie_dee
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Babbler # 195

posted 16 December 2004 06:13 PM      Profile for robbie_dee     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
And now we hear from the other side.

Press Release: Local 183 calls for "Canadian control" as takeover bid by U.S. headquarters escalates (Dec. 14)

quote:
TORONTO, Dec. 14 /CNW/ - Canada's largest construction local will argue for the restoration of "democratic rule and local control" at internal hearings starting Wednesday that have been called by the union's international headquarters as part of a hostile takeover bid.

Local 183 is currently under attack by its Washington headquarters, the Labourers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), which for the second time in eight years is attempting to take it over, first in 1995 and again starting in 2002.

"This is a battle for Canadian control and local concerns," said Local 183's Legal Coordinator Keith Cooper. "We've won this battle before and
we'll win it again. Once again we will prove LIUNA's intervention is driven by a desire to control Canadian funds."

Local 183 is one of the driving forces behind Toronto's recent construction boom. It is also the Canadian local with the strongest track record providing health and safety benefits to its workers. Also at stake are millions of dollars of workers' membership dues. Members of Local 183 currently remit $5,000,000 annually to U.S. based LIUNA and in return receive only a bi-monthly newsmagazine. LIUNA is now demanding that an additional $3,000,000 in annual Canadian membership dues be diverted to its coffers without Canadian membership approval.

The LIUNA hearings that begin tomorrow will be adjudicated by Brian Keller, former Vice-Chair of the Canada Labour Relations Board. While the hearings are underway, Local 183's current leadership will remain in control of all their regular duties and responsibilities. Earlier this week the Ontario Labour Board ordered U.S. based LIUNA to reverse the content of correspondence it had sent to 12 GTA contractor associations indicating it had already taken over and was in control of the local union.


[ 16 December 2004: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]


From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged

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