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Press Release / Wednesday, October 26, 2011

United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney announces arrests of three Union Leaders for Racketeering, Extortion, Money Laundering, and Witness Tampering Crimes.

The President, former President, and Treasurer of Local 348 of the United Food and Commercial workers International Union charged.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/October11/fazioetalarrestspr.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2011
CONTACT:

press@ufcw.org

STATEMENT FROM JOE HANSEN, UFCW INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT ON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INDICTMENT OF UFCW LOCAL 348 LEADERSHIP

(Washington, D.C.) -- Following is a statement from Joe Hansen, United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) International President on the Department of Justice's indictment of UFCW Local 348 leadership:

"This morning, the UFCW International Union sent staff persons to the offices of UFCW Local 348 to ensure that UFCW members are protected and represented.

"These are very serious charges and the UFCW International Union will cooperate fully with the Department of Justice in whatever way is necessary.

"The UFCW International Union has its own internal review and investigation procedures for local union operations and representation matters. Those procedures had not been activated by any membership complaints or other actions that would have signaled a cause for concern.

"UFCW Local 348 members can be assured that the International Union takes their representation seriously and is taking action immediately to see that they have the full support of the International Union."

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The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream.

According to the indictment, Anthony Fazio Sr., president of the union from 1976 to January 2010; his son Anthony Fazio Jr., who took over as president in January 2010; and John Fazio Jr., the union’s vice president and secretary-treasurer, used their leadership positions to collect unlawful payments from various employers whose workers were represented by the union, utilizing threats of labor disruptions. In addition, Fazio Sr. and John Fazio were charged in a money laundering scheme to steal from the union by billing it for nonexistent goods, then funneling the money back to them. Fazio Sr. is charged with witness tampering in relation to this charge.

http://kcerds.dol-esa.gov/query/getOrgQry.do

UFCW Local 348 DOL File Number: 060-069

Home » Press Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 01, 2011

CONTACT:

press@ufcw.org

STATEMENT FROM JOE HANSEN, UFCW INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT ON TRUSTEESHIP OF UFCW LOCAL 348S IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

(Washington, D.C.) -- Following is a statement from Joe Hansen, United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) International President on the trusteeship of UFCW Local 348S:

"The UFCW International Union took action today to place UFCW Local 348S of Brooklyn, New York, under trusteeship. Our primary objective is protecting the local union's members. We will assure that their contracts, benefits, and benefit funds are protected and provide the level of service Local 348S members deserve from their union. We will also assure that the union's finances are in order and all assets secured.

"The president and secretary-treasurer of Local 348S were charged last week with violations of federal criminal laws related to their work as local union leaders. The International Union obtained an order from a New York federal court enforcing the trusteeship. The trusteeship assures that the local union’s assets and resources are protected and that members are properly represented. It ensures that the local leadership’s defense of the criminal charges do not interfere in any way with the local union’s ability to represent its members. All contracts affecting wages and benefits for Local 348S members remain in effect.

"The UFCW International Union has a responsibility to serve the more than 13,000 members of this local union to the best of our ability and we will do so. I have appointed UFCW International Vice President Richard Whalen, Trustee of Local 348S."

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The 1.3 million member UFCW is the nation's largest private-sector union with most members working in the retail food, meatpacking, food processing, and manufacturing industries. UFCW members represent a cross-section of America's working families. The UFCW is America's neighborhood union with more than 800,000 members working in neighborhood supermarkets across the U.S. and Canada.

http://www.ufcw.org/press_room/index.cfm?pressReleaseID=572

Where's your compassion 3E, there's a chance these ufcw leaders will have to give back a portion of what they stole from UFCW members.