Tamika Bullock stole money meant for people out of work. It is now highly unlikely that she will find work again in that organization. On November 14, Bullock, former secretary-treasurer of International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 684, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to embezzling $24,600 from the Chesapeake-based union, with most of that sum taken from its “sick and distressed” account. She had been indicted in June. The actions follow an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
According to court documents, Bullock, now 39, a resident of Portsmouth, Va., began her position as Local 684 secretary-treasurer in September 2015. It didn’t take long to put her hands in the cookie jar. During January-October 2016, she stole $24,600 from the union. More than $21,400 of that came from an account, funded by voluntary contributions, set up to assist members temporarily out of work. Bullock also made false statements on union financial reporting forms to conceal her thefts. She used most, if not all, of the money on personal expenditures, including a ship cruise. Eventually, the Labor Department discovered the shortfall and requested a Justice Department probe. Sentencing is set for this February 15.