National Legal and Policy Center -- Organized Labor Accountability Project
 
UNION CORRUPTION UPDATE
 
June 9, 2003 -- Vol. 6, Issue 12

For Influential Leaders & Important Decision Makers:
Information on America's most corrupt & aggressive unions


 TEAMSTERS (IBT)
IBT Agrees with IRB, Continues Trusteeship of NY Local
In a May 27 letter, Intl. Bhd. of Teamsters (IBT) president James Hoffa agreed with the Independent Review Bd. (IRB) that Local 456 in White Plains, NY, is being run primarily for the benefit of the Doyle family dynasty.  With that determination, the IBT will continue its trusteeship of the Local, without its frmr. president, Bernard Doyle, until new elections for officers are held within the next 18 months.

The Doyle family has had a hand in running the Local since before World War II.  Edward Doyle, the father of Bernard and Edward Sr., was president of Local 456 from 1952 until his death in 1960.  Edward Sr. became president in 1985, followed by his brother in 1999.  In addition, Edward Doyle Jr. has served as secy.-treasurer under Bernard Doyle.  Bernard's son, Edward A. Doyle, is the director of the local's training fund. Gail Doyle, Edward Sr.'s girlfriend, works for the local, and their son, Scott Doyle, is a shop steward.

The IRB, formed in 1989 by the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the Southern Dist. of NY to oversee the cleanup of the Teamsters, has been trying to undo that dynastic reign since 1999.  That year, Edward Sr. resigned when the IRB accused him of accepting bribes from a Yonkers car dealer.  But his brother, Bernard, slid into the presidency of Local 456.  A 13-month investigation culminated early this year in an IRB report accusing Edward Sr. of continuing to exercise influence over the Local in violation of his 1999 suspension agreement.  The IRB also accused Bernard of transferring millions of union dollars without the approval of the Bd. of Trustees, doling out construction jobs and union memberships on the basis of favoritism, and using union credit cards to pay for dozens of restaurant dinners near his home on weekends.

Recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, Bernard is likely to retire soon.  But the Local 456 lawyer ousted along with the rest of the hierarchy when the IBT took over in January said he expects members of the Doyle family to run for office when new elections are held.  "I would assume they'll run," said Roy Barnes.  "They're not prohibited from it." [The White Plains Journal News, 6/6/03]

Union Corruption Update is made possible by the generous contributions from readers like you. NLPC, PO Box 6821, Falls Church, VA 22040. Thank you. Union Corruption Update is part of NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project which is investigating and exposing corruption 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.

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.  All back issues of the Union Corruption Update can be viewed at NLPC's website (http://www.nlpc.org).  Also available is a union-by-union and state-by-state index of all Union Corruption Update articles. If you have story ideas or suggestions for future editions of Union Corruption Update, please email NLPC at nlpc@nlpc.org.  Thank you.
 
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