As indicated in a post written last Sptember, I wholehearted support unions as the best path of resistance to the depredations inflicted by practitioners of unfettered capitalism. That support, however, doesn't mean that I ignore or accept the malfeasance and lack of true representative democracy frequently found in mature union organizations.
The latest incidence of such malfeasance was recently uncovered by The Star, in yet another example of the fine investigative work the paper does. On January 16, the newspaper reported how John Mandarino, a top Liuna executive, was rehired 13 months after having been terminated for misuse of union funds much to the consternation of many:
In a controversial comeback, trustees rehired John Mandarino last summer as the administrator for the training centre of the continent’s largest construction local, Toronto-based Labourers’ International Union of North America Local 183.
The centre’s board had unanimously dismissed him in June 2010 for breaching contract tendering rules, losing valuable government grants, regularly breaking cheque-signing policy and charging unauthorized personal expenses without proper accounting.
A few days later, The Star revealed that not only had Mandarino regained his former post, but was 'rewarded' with a second post:
The Labourers International Union of North America (LIUNA) appointed John Mandarino as director of its Canadian Tri-Fund after rehiring him to head a major training centre.
Fortunately, this sordid tale has a somewhat happy ending, in that today The Star reports that Manadarino has resigned from one of those positions, that of administrator of the Liuna Local 183 training centre, as a result of Star investigation. No word, however, about his position as director of the Tri-Fund.
While the kinds of incestuous relationships suggested by these developments are relatively common within organizations, rarely do they reek of such egregious wrongdoing and contempt for rank and file union members, who surely deserve better use of their hard-earned dues, and should not have to rely on explosive exposes by crusading journalists.
As someone who tried in vain to fight the powers that be in my own union local, and I was the first female elected as prez of my local, whereupon the membership promptly forgot to stay active and support me) I can attest to the fact that the reason things are the way they are is because the rank and file will not attend meetings, will vote for a change at elections, but not follow up, and as long as they can keep working, don't seem to care much about what is happening at the higher levels..
ReplyDeleteYes, what you describe is extortionate, but as you know it happens at higher levels, too..what the government is charged for various things by 'suppliers' (read profiteers, in war and peace) can be just as egregious, often more so, and for the same reasons.
Unless and until union members get off their heinies and start paying attention to what is going on, they will wind up with no union at all..or such a corrupt one that being in the private sector will seem an impossible dream.
Union members get the unions they deserve; and, by extension, citizens get the governments they deserve...use it or lose it, folks!
Thank you for your eloquent comment. I can only say that I am in complete agreement with you, and I share your frustration with people's unwillingness to protect our democratic institutions. We are currently seeing the cost of that indifference at the federal government level with the thuggish tactics of the Harper Conservatives, as well as in the behavior of some union leaders.
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