ILA Local President and Assistant Face Long List of Federal Charges
Darryl “Mike D” Payne, former president of International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1526, along with his assistant, Tianni Latrice Brown, are the targets of a 17-count indictment for a whole host of federal crimes. Both are charged with a conspiracy to steal from the union and share several counts of theft of union assets, and one each for obstruction of justice and making false statements. Payne is looking at an additional three counts of mail fraud. A Department of Justice press release explains the heart of the scheme:

According to the indictment, Payne and Brown prepared and used false and altered documents to deceive union officials and obtain union funds purportedly to pay for legitimate assets, goods, services and travel expenses for the use of the union.  In fact, however, those expenses covered the personal expends of the defendants and others.

The other charges stem from creating additional false documents.

Overzealous SEIU Local Caught Overreaching on Employee Representation
The Boston Herald reports that several employees of Complete Cleaning won a federal settlement with SEIU Local 615, following an unfair labor practice charge. The settlement orders the union to stop claiming it has collective bargaining power over all employees until it can prove a majority of employees want that representation.

Sheet Metal Works Fined Over Romney Sign Swipe
Four members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 in Toledo, Ohio pleaded guilty to a lesser charge driving around in a pickup truck registered to the local, with the stolen signs from Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in the back. The Toledo Blade reports that the fines, court costs, and restitution added up to less than $400.