U.S. Dist. Judge David G. Larimer (W.D.N.Y., Reagan) signed an order accepting a settlement agreement between the Dep’t of Labor and United Auto Workers Local 1097 to have DOL’s Office of Labor-Mgmt. Standards supervise the next regularly scheduled election of local officers. An OLMS probe of the local’s 1999 election found that the local, based in Rochester, N.Y., failed to mail election notices to all members. Approximately 750 retired members did not vote and did not have access to election information through other channels, such as posted notice in the work place. With the closest margin at 504 votes, all offices were affected by this violation. [DOL 10/30/01]
Turkey Trespass Leads Boston Boss’ Arrest
A Boston union l boss who was arrested while handing out Thanksgiving turkeys to members on Nov. 21 pled not guilty Nov. 24 to criminal trespass. Janice Loux, president Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Int’l Union Local 26 and board member of the tainted Mass. Bay Trans. Auth. Retirement Fund, says she was charged with trespassing because the manager of the Hilton Hotel at Logan Airport was upset she was distributing turkeys to unionists. A Hilton spokesman said state police arrested Loux because her van was blocking a public road and not at the manager’s request.
State police said Nov. 23 that Loux was arrested for remaining on hotel property, not for parking on the roadway, after being asked to move by the Hilton General Manager Bert James and then by a trooper. If convicted, she faces a maximum prison term of 30 days, a maximum fine of $100, or both. Loux was released on her own recognizance and is due back in court Dec. 7. [Boston Herald; Boston Globe 11/24/01]