TEAMSTERS (IBT)
Whistleblower on Teamster Racketeering in Mass. Film Industry Vindicated
Robin Dawson, who warned of local Teamsters'
strong-arming of the film industry, now runs the reconstituted bureau
in charge of movie-making in Massachusetts. And on Sept. 26, she and other
business, film and tourism leaders celebrated the first feature film to
be shot in Mass. in two years. The movie, Mystic River, is being directed
by Clint Eastwood.
As Director of the old Mass. Film Bureau, Dawson warned ex-govs. William Weld (R), and Paul Celluci (R), that shakedowns and expense padding by Intl. Bhd. of Teamsters Local 25 were hindering filmmaking in Mass, acc. to records obtained by the Boston Herald under a Freedom of Information Act request. Allegedly, the Local's boss, George Cashman, even approved the beating of a female snack truck driver who refused to turn her concession contract over to a teamster on the set of the movie, "What's the Worst that Could Happen?"
In March of this year, it was revealed that Dawson was cooperating with a federal investigation of the Local and Cashman. She received several threats to her personal safety, and was offered a safe house for her protection. While the investigation of the union's heavy-handed tactics in movie-making continues, Cashman has already been indicted on separate charges of bribery and embezzlement related to the Local's Health & Insurance Plan.
The Film Bureau was shut down in July, but has now been re-formed with
Dawson as the Exec. Director. [Hollywood Reporter 9/27/02]
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