Denver RTD Union Pension Plan

It would make me wonder and perhaps ask questions.

From the RTD 2008 Financial statement:

Based on actuarial valuations performed as of January 1, 2008, the RTD Plan had no unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities, and the Union Plan had unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities of $39,461,146. The actuarial value of assets for both plans is determined by spreading gains and losses over a five-year period.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 - EXTORTION AND TAFT-HARTLEY VIOLATIONS

Sometimes it's just too easy!

FBI Press Release: June 3rd, 2009

Two Former Board Members of Bus Drivers' Union Arrested For Extortion And Unlawful Labor Payments

My favorite union, Amalgamated Transit Union, made the news again today when the FBI announced they had arrested Nick and Paul Maddalone, former EB members and assistant trustees of ATU Local 1181. The pair were arrested on charges of extortion and violations of the Taft-Hartley Act.

Way to go boys, you made the big time - the family that preys together stays together (perhaps in a federal pen?).

Admittedly, they were "former"members (is a boss ever truly a former member?) but one still has to question ATU International President Warren George's oversight of ATU Locals. Could it be that as long as a local is current in it's "tribute" to the International, he's willing to turn a blind eye to corruption at the local level? Extortion and Taft-Hartley violations? "I zee nothing, I hear nothing, I know nothing" didn't work well  at Nürnberg but perhaps it's a better defense in the new millennium.

For those who don't know, I was an ATU Local 1001 (Westminster, CO) member for two years, 2007 -2009. I have questions regarding the way the members money was spent (2008 $120K political donation to left wing Protect Colorado's Future, for example) and for months the local has ignored me. I have contacted the International on more than one occasion and all I get are replies that never address my issues. In my case, however, "circle the wagons and hope he'll go away" is not a workable defense. 

"Hi, boys - I'm still here and watching you! A big howdy to Holman, Howard, Julio & Rudy. Remember, I'm allowed to file suit under LMRDA at the end of July. A special hello to my friend lawyer Jones"

Perhaps Warren George is just jealous of the press that Andy Stern and Jimmy Hoffa have been getting and figures ATU can beat them at their own game. Any press is good press!

Where there's smoke there's fire?

To be fair, this is not my first post about Local 1181 and it's true that President George finally installed trustee's but why did it take so long after members sought help from the International and were the Maddalone boys two of George's trustees? Germane but unanswered questions.

Local 1181 had elections in March, 2009 and members claim that the union is mob free for the first time in years; we hope so. ATU International  has removed the trusties and elected officers run the union.

Some might ask why the trustees spent almost $1,000,000 more that the local received in 2008. Take a look at the 2008 LM-2.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192 - Oakland, CA

Dangerous and Inhumane Conditions on Oakland Buses

I sincerely hope that conditions have improved since last year - shame on AC Transit for buying buses without A/C to save a few bucks and shame on Local 192 for allowing it! 102F? You can't safely drive a bus when the inside temp is that high.

Did ATU Local 192 hold the December 20th, 2008 election as scheduled? If so, who are the newly elected officers? Be proud - post the results on  the ATU Local 192 website. Perhaps it's in the members only area. Just a reminder, 2008 LM-2's were due April 1st, 2009. The information I have is for 2007.

I'm on my soapbox again. Why is it that many LU's think they have to spend every penny (and often more) of members dues? I'll say it again - the officers and employees of the union are the hired help! Demand accountability.

Typical of locals, ATU Local 192 had officer and employee disbursements of $801,050, 36% of the 2007 receipts of $2,252,023. With the economy the way it already was and the very high unemployment in California, did the officers (whoever they are) make any sacrifices in 2008? How about 2009?

I'm not privy to the usual union practices but $626,000 in 2007 legal fees seems excessive. Another 27% of the receipts into the black hole. Just out of curiosity,  when a local receives a Wage and Hour litigation settlement of $74, 156, what happens to the money?

How many members of ATU Local 192 drive cars built before 1994? Do you think the officers could have squeezed out one more year and saved a little money? Only $7200 for the 3 Saturns you (the members) owned? One would hope that the members (who already owned the cars) got to drive them home but alas, that doesn't seem to be the case since they were listed as trade-ins. I'd have given $201 for a 2003 Saturn L200, book value $4,585 and the union would have made an extra dollar. It seems odd that the union would let all 3 cars go to the Saturn dealer at 47% of the listed book value. Perhaps someone out in Oakland needs to learn a little about "horse trading".

But happily, all 3 clunkers were replaced with brand spankin' new 2007 Saturn Aura's for only $80,129. Who gets to drive the XE and not have to settle for one of the crummy XR's? I do have a couple of questions about the whole process of buying and selling cars at the local, mostly with  the way the transaction was listed on the LM-2.

I haven't bought a brand new car since my 40th birthday present to me in 1986 (I'm cheap) but I suppose that local bosses, like all politicians have a certain image they have to maintain. Not being an "expert" on buying and selling cars, the transaction confuses me.

The LM-2 shows the cars were traded-in for $7200 and the new cars were bought for $80,129 - a difference of $72,929. I look at the Fixed Asset and Loans Payable schedules of the LM-2 and get totally lost.

It's obvious that the local (members) own at least one other car/vehicle and I don't know what it is (all vehicles lumped together as an asset) so that's part on my confusion. The Loans Payable is where I'm really stymied:

SCHEDULE 9 - LOANS PAYABLE

FILE NUMBER: 540-907

Source of Loans Payable at Any  Time During the Reporting Period  (A)	Loans Owed at  Start of Period  (B)	Loans Obtained  During Period  (C)	Repayment  During Period  Cash  (D)(1)	Repayment  During Period  Other Than Cash  (D)(1)	Loans Owed at  End of Period  (E)
Total Loans Payable	$34,103	$80,129	$29,464	$3,487	$81,281
Totals will be automatically entered in...	Item 31 Column (C)	Item 44	Item 62	Item 69 with Explanation	Item 31 Column (D)
Saturn of Oakland - Autos	$32,957	$80,129	$28,318	$3,487	$81,281
GE Captial Copier Lease	$1,146	$0	$1,146	$0	$0

It looks like the $7200 trade-in (47% of book) actually became $3,487 when the deal was closed. Very, very confusing! Click here and take a crack at figuring it out for yourself.

Image courtesy of Cowboy Clip Art

Grip of the Mob Is Gone in This Race, a Union Says

Enlarge The Image   Graph The Image

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 website

This post, of course, is a look at the infamous Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1181 located in Ozone Park, N.Y. Federal prosecutors claimed that the LU was controlled by the Genovese crime family for at least 30 years before the "clean-up" and  ATU International finally putting trustees in charge on November 11th, 2006.

The International trustees ran Local 1181 from then until the trusteeship officially ended Friday, April 3rd, 2009, after the election of new local bosses in March.

Newly Elected ATU Local 1181 Representatives

Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union: "first election free of mob influence in at least 30 years"

Ballots are in the mail in high-stakes LI bus union vote

Needless to say, elections have winners and losers and someone is going to be unhappy:

Old Guard Tops Reformers In School Bus Union Vote

I was able to collect disclosure information going back to 2000 so you can look at Local 1181 LM-2's for the last years of mob control and the LM-2's through June 30th, 2008 when ATU International had control.

I'm not sure what disclosure is required now that the trusteeship has ended. I belonged to a ATU LU in trusteeship, Local 1755, but we voted to join Local 1001 when the Trusteeship ended on June 30th, 2008. Local 1755 had to file a terminal LM-2 and Local 1001 had to start filing LM-2's as of July 1st, 2008 because it now had both public and private employee members. I suspect that Local 1181 will be required (assuming that the Obama administration doesn't gut LMRDA) to file it's normal 2009 LM-2 after the local's fiscal year ends June 30th, 2009; perhaps showing the change from International to Local control as a comment. Corrections to my assumption welcome!

I am curious as to why it appears that ATU International took so long to act:

Amalgamated Transit international refuses to oust Local 1181 officers accused of mob domination

I have my own ongoing disclosure battle with ATU Local 1001 and I've written to President George several time asking for help. When I began, I naively thought that ATU International actually monitored the LU's and was concerned with corruption and the individual members money. I've now come to realize that my lone voice has about as much effect as a fart in a hurricane.

For those that have the time and interest, here are the Local 1181 LM-2's from 2000 through 2008:

2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Here is some more background information for anyone interested: 

FORMER PRESIDENT OF TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 1181 SENTENCED
TO 57 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR RACKETEERING

Showdown for the BusFellas' Union - ATU 1181

Busfellas Take '1181' For Ride 

Can the AFL-CIO avoid a RICO suit in ATU L. 1181?

Malice's Restaurant

George Announces Departure of School Bus Local 1181 Pension and Welfare Funds Administrator

School bus drivers’ union members want a change

I'll reserve any farther thought and comment until a later date and perhaps share my own experience in attempting to force LU disclosure.

ATU Local 1576 Lynnwood Washington

If I were a member I'd ask! (LM-2 on-line)

I know! Let the  743 members of ATU Local 1576 worry about how their money is spent. However, sometimes something jumps out and I have to ask.

I assume (silly me) that President, VP and Financial Secretary/Treasurer of ATU Local 1576 in Lynnwood, Washington, are part-time positions since three officers obvisouly can't live on a combined salary of $18,216 per year. Local 1576 is  a relatively small LU with revenues of $561,584 in 2008 and 743 members at the end of the year.

I have to admit that the $168,828 in "Disbursements For Official Business" confuses the hell out of me.

ATU 1277 Los Angeles

If I were a member I'd ask! (LM-2 on-line)

I know! Let the  3,607 members of ATU Local 1277 worry about how their money is spent. However, sometimes something jumps out and I have to ask.

I have a little experience in the computer industry (about 35 years or so) and I was  wondering what a LU would need with $93,755 worth of computer services in 11 months in 2008. I figured Doc Fixit, Inc. must be the best in the world to demand that type on money so I googled them. Strange, no Doc Fixit, Inc. popped up. Hmmmm, no web site? Check the Santa Clarita yellow pages and really strange - there is no listing for Doc Fixit, Inc. in Santa Clarita or the surrounding area. Might be a mistake and the money actually went for a new super-duper water cooled quad-core sever and about 50 terminals (you can never have too many :-) but nope, only $5,202 spent for office furniture and equipment.

President Silver: I'm applying for the position of full-time computer person in the LU. I'll take the same package as Office Manager Lam (about 76K + benefits) and still save you some money!

I promise I'll have a much better looking website on-line within 30 days. I look forward to hearing from you.

p.s. How did you manage to get a free outside audit of the LU during 2008. Way to save the members money!