HOTEL & RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES (HERE)
Aug. 1 Starts New Era for Corrupt Union
Despite the union's contrary claims, Edward T. Hanley, one of America's
most powerful and corrupt union bosses, was forced out of the Hotel Employees
& Restaurant Employees Int'l. Union according to U.S. District Court
records. Hanley was HERE president for 26 years, and, as part of a bargain
with the Justice Department, he will finally relinquish his grip over the
250,000 member union on Jul. 31.
Initially, it was portrayed as a gracious "retirement," but unsealed court records show Hanley cut a deal to avoid charges of corruption and ties to organized crime. The deal bars Hanley from any "direct or indirect" role in union affairs and forces him to repay approximately $14,000 for his union-leased vehicle. Hanley was alleged to have ran a "ghost local" in Rhinelander, WI near his and other union bosses' vacation homes. He also faced charges that he did nothing, yet received a $31,200 a year job from HERE Local 1 in Chicago where his son is the president. The junior Hanley did not fare as well as his father -- he has looming allegations of embezzlement. Most shocking of all, however, is the senior Hanley's "golden parachute." He will continue to receive his $270,000 a year salary from HERE for life. [Chicago Sun-Times 05/21/98]
In addition to the unions and organizations covered in this Union Corruption Update, readers can look forward to news and information on the Laborers' International Union of North America, International Longshoremen's & Warehousemen's Union, United Farmer Workers, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and other corrupt and abusive unions in future editions.
All back issues of the Union Corruption Update can be viewed at NLPC's website (www.nlpc.org). Also available is a union by union index of all Union Corruption Update articles.
If you have ideas or suggestions for future editions of Union Corruption Update, please email NLPC at nlpc@nlpc.org. Thank you.
Union Corruption Update is part of NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project which is investigating and exposing corruption and extremism in the Teamsters, LIUNA, AFL-CIO and many other union organizations. NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action.
Complete Edition Union Corruption Update (July 27, 1998 -- Vol. 1 Issue 4)
Union Corruption Update Article Index