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April 16, 2007
John T. Coli
1645 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60612
Dear Brother John T. Coli,
We are writing you to inform Joint Council about the letter we received from Local 726 Executive Board in regards to a hearing which we brought charges against President Falzone, Secretary Treasurer Thomas P. Clair, Vice President Ken Brantley, Recording Secretary Jack Hurley, Trustee Business Agent Michael Macatante and Trustee Anthony Fiore.
(see attached letters)
This letter is to inform you that we are requesting to move the hearing from Local 726 Executive Board to Joint Council 25. We feel that we should be allowed to move this hearing to Joint Council 25 according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Constitution page 136 Article XIX, Section 1(A), paragraph 3. This article states:
“Charges by, against, or involving a majority of the members of a local Union Executive Board shall be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Joint Council for trial by the Joint Council Executive Board. Where there is no charter Joint Council, refers this article XIX relating to trials and appeals by or before the Joint Council shall apply pursuant to Article XV to the appropriate existing State or Multi-State Conferences“.
We feel this is the only way that we can be assured a fair hearing.
Fraternally yours,
______________________ _________________________
Vince Tenuto Joe Vercillo
10940 S. Kedzie 10934 S. Kedzie
Chicago, IL 60655 Chicago, IL 60655
773-936-6013 312-671-3235
Cc: General President James P. Hoffa, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Thomas P. Clair, Local 726 Executive Board
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The Fighting For The Future Slate would like to ask the
Present Executive Board a couple of questions.
How can you hear charges against yourselves?
Shouldn’t the Joint Council be hearing these charges?
Will you find yourselves guilty?
Some people would call this a Kangaroo Court!
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Cc: Teamsters Joint Council
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Teamsters for a Democratic Union
April 4, 2007
Vince Tenuto
10940 S. Kedzie
Chicago, IL 60655
Joe Vercillo
10934 S. Kedzie
Chicago, IL 60650
Thomas P. Clair, Secretary-Treasurer
Teamsters Local 726
1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 603
Chicago, IL 60612
Dear Sir and Brother,
The undersigned members of Teamsters Local 726 bring these charges under Article 19 of the IBT Constitution against President John Falzone and members of Local 726 Executive Board who were present. This includes Thomas P. Clair, Kenneth Brantley, Jack Hurley, Michael Marcatante and Anthony Fiore.
We charge brother Falzone with blatantly violating the rights of the members of Local 726 to vote properly submitted bylaws changes at our March 21, 2007 Local 726 union meeting.
At that meeting brother Falzone repeatedly ignored requests for a counted vote on the bylaws. Instead, he conducted a “voice vote” and when it appeared that a majority voted “Aye” on each of the three proposals, he simply announced the “nays have it.”
Brother Falzone refused requests, properly made, for a counted vote. He refused requests and motions, properly made, for a division of the house. He refused a motion, properly made, to overturn the ruling of the chair. He simply refused to allow a vote count.
Brother Falzone violated the IBT Constitution, the Local 726 bylaws (including Sections 23 and 28), and the LMRDA free speech and equal voting rights provisions.
There were at least 450 members present and it was clear that a majority were prepared to have a hand count or a division of the room for each of the three bylaws amendments.
Respectfully submitted by,
___________________________ ______________________________
Vince Tenuto Joe Vercillo
10940 S. Kedzie 10934 S. Kedzie
Chicago, IL 60655 Chicago, IL 60655
773-936-6013 312-671-3235
