A STEPPING STONE
back to
archives
THIS IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THE CARPENTERS UNION Laborers Settle
Lawsuit In Hartford
A federal lawsuit that accused the Connecticut Laborers'
union of wielding influence by controlling dues money has been settled, with union
officials agreeing to a new system of collecting and distributing the funds.
The lawsuit took aim at the powerful Connecticut Laborers
District Council and its long-standing financial practices. The council traditionally
collected dues from members across the state, then funneled funds back to the locals.
The lawsuit, filed by Local 665 in Bridgeport and its
business manager, Ronald Nobili, said the control wielded by the officers on the district
council allowed them to use funds to reward supporters and punish enemies at the state's
10 Laborers' locals.
Under the settlement, the council will be required to
disburse dues money in proportion to each local's working membership. The agreement also
requires a secret ballot vote on any proposed increases in dues. The council now collects
about $1.2 million in working dues from 5,000 members.
``It's basically a sea change,'' Nobili said. ``They won't
be currying favor now.''
Robert Cheverie, who represented the district council,
said the interpretation offered by Nobili was an ``outrage.'' He said some of the larger
locals in the state did, in fact, subsidize some of the smaller ones. But Cheverie said
the goal was simply to keep the smaller locals in business.
``The idea that this was some sort of patronage system is
just not the case,'' Cheverie said.
Cheverie said the district council decided to settle the
lawsuit to avoid wasting valuable resources in protracted litigation. ``The settlement is
in everyone's interest,'' he said. ``I don't think anyone won. I don't think anyone
lost.''
But Carl Biers, executive director of the New York-based
Association for Union Democracy, said the settlement could have implications throughout
the labor movement, where a trend toward consolidation has taken power away from members.
``It's a tremendous victory,'' Biers said. ``It's also a
victory that has implications for all union members that are fighting to protect their
democratic rights.''
The Laborers' union has long been accused by critics of
using pressure and intimidation to prevent dissidents from wresting power from those in
control. The international union, threatened with a takeover by the U.S. Justice
Department, agreed to a series of internal reforms several years ago.
Leon Rosenblatt, a West Hartford lawyer who represented
Nobili and Local 665, said the agreement will force the Laborers in Connecticut to inject
a measure of democracy into their organization.
``It's the first time in the history of the the Laborers
where rank-and- file members have stood up to statewide leadership, faced them square on
and also beat them,'' Rosenblatt said. ``The mere fact that the suit was brought was
significant. In the past, most members were afraid to do that.''
Nobili said changing the dues system is a good start, but
that additional reforms are needed at the union, including giving members the right to
vote on contracts.
``It's only a start,'' Nobili said. ``With this union,
it's only the tip of the iceberg, but it's only a start. Some reforms had to occur.''