UNION OFFICIAL CORRUPTION Cases
Our clients have refused to turn a blind eye when they have experienced or uncovered corruption in their unions. Their litigation has exposed financial corruption, mishandling of union members’ dues, and abuses of public benefit systems—and held union officials accountable.
Philly Firefighters File Class-Action Lawsuit Over Pension Concealment
Farrell & Viola v. IAFF, Local 22
Philadelphia firefighters Joe Farrell and Pat Viola allege that union officials intentionally deprived firefighters of their full pension benefits. They suspect that union officials did this to preserve for themselves the opportunity to maximize pension benefits. Their lawsuit seeks to expose the truth.
Chris Taylor and Cory Yedlosky were concerned about how corrections union officials were spending members’ dues. After conducting an audit, they discovered that thousands of dollars had been mishandled. Later, six union officials were arrested on felony theft charges.
New Haven, Connecticut’s firefighters’ union, Local 825, believed its statewide affiliate union was working against the local’s interests. So, in 2016, the local union’s board voted to leave the statewide union. But state union officials refused to let them leave and demanded more than $50,000 in “back dues” payments.
In Allentown, teachers could leave the classroom and work full-time for the union while “earning” a teachers’ salary and benefits. Local taxpayers led by Steven Ramos challenged this practice and forced major reform.
Bill Green fought to be reinstated as chairman of Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission after Pa. Governor Tom Wolf removed him from his position at the behest of the Philadelphia teachers’ union.
Mary Trometter alleged that a teachers’ union misused her dues when it sent her husband a political mailer telling him to “join Mary” in voting for a candidate for governor. Mary did not give her consent for her name or money to be used to endorse a political candidate.
Philly Firefighters File Class-Action Lawsuit Over Pension Concealment
Farrell & Viola v. IAFF, Local 22
Philadelphia Firefighters Joe Farrell and Pat Viola allege that union officials intentionally deprived rank-and-file firefighters of their full pension benefits. They suspect that union officials did this to preserve the opportunity to maximize pension benefits for themselves and filed the lawsuit to uncover the truth.
Chris Taylor and Cory Yedlosky were concerned with how their union officials were spending membership dues. After doing their own audit, which was ignored, they discovered that thousands of dollars were misused. Now, six officials have been arrested and are facing felony theft charges.
New Haven, Connecticut’s firefighters’ union, Local 825, believed its statewide affiliate union was working against the local’s interests. So, in 2016, the local union’s board voted to leave the statewide union. But state union officials refused to let them leave and demanded more than $50,000 in “back dues” payments.
‘Ghost Teachers’ exorcised from Pennsylvania school district
Ramos v. Allentown Education Association
In Allentown, teachers could leave the classroom and work full-time for the union while “earning” a teachers’ salary and benefits. Local taxpayers led by Steven Ramos challenged this practice and forced major reform.
Bill Green fought to be reinstated as chairman of Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission after Pa. Governor Tom Wolf removed him from his position at the behest of the Philadelphia teachers’ union.
Mary Trometter alleged that a teachers’ union misused her dues when it sent her husband a political mailer telling him to “join Mary” in voting for a candidate for governor. Mary did not give her consent for her name or money to be used to endorse a political candidate.