Federal Judge Extends ILA Local Oversight

[GODFATHER2]

Federal Judge Extends ILA Local Oversight
JOURNAL of COMMERCE

11/4/2008

A federal judge has extended by 18 months the government supervision of a formerly mobbed-up International Longshoremen's Association local in Bayonne, N.J.

Former New York City Police Commissioner Robert McGuire has overseen the affairs of ILA Local 1588 since 2003, when he was appointed to end what prosecutors said was decades of organized-crime control of the local.

His term had been scheduled to expire Oct. 31, a year-and-a-half after the local's members elected their first officers since his appointment. But the Justice Department, with McGuire's consent and without objection from Local 1588 officials, requested an 18-month extension that U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein granted.

Although the administrator's term will be extended, an agreement between McGuire said the performance of local officers justifies a reduced role for him. McGuire will give up his authority to veto expenditures, contracts, appointments and changes to the local constitution and bylaws.

"My intention is to use the remaining disciplinary and monitoring authority (granted by the court) to focus my attention in the next 18 months on my primary area of concern: keeping the influence of organized crime out of the union."

McGuire commended the local's current leaders for "tremendous strides...toward democracy within the union and the elimination of outside corrupt influences." He cited a list of reforms, including transparency in hiring and union finances, elimination of favoritism, democracy-oriented changes in the local's constitution and bylaws, eliminating unnecessary expenses, and the election of officers not beholden to mobsters.

But the administrator said more time was needed to complete disciplinary action against local members who have continued to associate with organized crime figures, and that he had become aware of "intensified efforts in recent weeks and months by elements associated with organized crime figures to reassert their influence in the local."

"These concerns are sufficiently serious that the parent union, the ILA, as well as Milton Mollen, the ethical practice counsel for the ILA, support this motion," McGuire's statement said.

McGuire said extending government oversight will thwart efforts by mobsters to undermine reform efforts, and will provide government supervision of the local's next election of officers in 18 months.