On August 29, Linda Holden, former financial secretary-treasurer for Local 639 of the United Steelworkers of America, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $74,090. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. USWA Local 639 previously had been affiliated with the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers (PACE), where it was known as Local 6-639. The change in affiliation is due to a merger, approved in April 2005, of the Steelworkers and PACE. The new umbrella organization is known as the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
Former Local Business Agent in Southern Minnesota Charged
On September 7, Cathy Bronson, ex-business representative for Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 21, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota with one count of embezzling $35,675 in local funds. The charge follows a Labor Department investigation. HERE Local 21 represents over 2,200 health care and hospitality workers in and around Rochester (Minn.) and Albert Lea. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
Minnesota Ex-Financial Secretary Charged with Embezzlement
On September 7, Timothy Pulvermacher, former financial secretary for Local 9444 of the United Steelworkers of America, was charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota with one count of embezzling more than $29,000 in union funds. The local represents employees at electrical circuit-board plants in the Twin Cities area. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
Texas Local Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
On August 31, Judy Cary, former bookkeeper for Communications Workers of America Local 6127, based in Midland, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to embezzling $29,000 in union funds. She had been charged in June. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
Contractor Pleads Guilty to Theft from Cincinnati-Area Local
On September 8, Rachetta Johnson, co-owner of Electrical Innovations, pled guilty in Hamilton County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, to theft by deception for her role in defrauding Local 212 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers through a market recovery fund. Johnson in March had been charged, along with Charlene Monroe, of theft of services worth at least $5,000, plus tampering with and forging market recovery forms. In that case, Michael Griffie also was charged with theft of at least $100,000 in property or services. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
Former Local Secretary-Treasurer in Michigan Charged
On September 7, Ann E. Smith, former secretary-treasurer of Local Lodge 2140 of the International Association of Machinists, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan with one count of filing a false report in order to conceal her embezzlement of union funds. The local is based in South Haven, north of Benton Harbor along the Lake Michigan shoreline. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
California President Sentenced, Fined for Records Violations
On September 6, Richard Mullenix, former president of NorCal Beverage Employees Union, was sentenced in federal court for the Eastern District of California to 12 months of unsupervised probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $50 special assessment. He had pleaded guilty in June to one count of making false entries in union records and aiding and abetting such acts. (OLMS, 9/25/06).
