AFL-CIO
Kentucky AFL-CIO in Melt-Down
The financial chaos of the Kentucky AFL-CIO was called "the worst"
of any state operation for more than 25 years by the national AFL-CIO's
Laurence Gold. This after a Dec. 4 report by AFL-CIO hearing officer William
George that said there is "no question" that the Ky. AFL-CIO has been "mismanaged
for years," and that the Ky. bosses allowed a "longstanding embezzlement
scheme to operate." George's probe resulted from follows: 1) complaints
about financial irregularities, 2) a Sep. 4 fire, that investigators determined
was arson, that destroyed records at the Ky. AFL-CIO office, and 3) an
Aug. 10 burglary where records were reported stolen. George's report concluded
that national monitors should remain in Ky. indefinitely.
George noted that state and federal criminal authorities have begun investigating the matter. The report focused on Morgan Bayless, the Ky. AFL-CIO's ex-political director, and his late wife, Donna Bayless, the ex-bookkeeper for the Ky. AFL-CIO. Donna was found dead, shot in the head, 5 days after takeover of the Ky. office. Anderson County Coroner said Dec. 4 the cause of death appears to be a suicide, but he will call for an inquest.
George found that since Sep. 1995, Morgan & Donna Bayless received approximately $285,000 over their salaries. The report also raised questions about the lack of audits, misuse of credit cards, auto leases and the sale of low-income housing company. [Courier-Journal 12/5/98]
In addition to the unions and organizations covered in this Union Corruption Update,readers can look forward to news and information on other corrupt and abusive unions in future editions.
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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.
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