SEIU Stern's Operative Tyrone Freeman steps down as head of CA 160,000 ULTCW SEIU chapter

SEIU Stern Operative Tyrone Freeman steps down as head of CA 160,000 ULTCW SEIU chapter
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-union21-2008aug21,0,1600346.story

Tyrone Freeman steps down as head of SEIU chapter
President of California's largest local says it will be placed under a temporary trustee after Los Angeles Times stories reported payments to firms owned by his wife and mother-in-law.
By Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
7:35 PM PDT, August 20, 2008
The head of California's largest union local stepped down Wednesday in the wake of Times reports that the organization and a related charity paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to firms owned by his wife and mother-in-law.

Tyrone Freeman, president of the Service Employees International Union chapter, said in a written statement that he was taking a leave of absence and that the local would be placed in a temporary trusteeship.



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"In order to ensure that any investigation of the allegations is fair and free from any question of interference or influence, I am taking a leave of absence effective immediately for the duration of the investigation," the statement said. "I believe these steps will allow our union to continue to serve the best interests of our membership during this time."

The statement was released by the Washington, D.C., office of SEIU President Andy Stern, who has nurtured Freeman's career as the 160,000-member local has grown dramatically in recent years, largely through consolidations.

"These allegations are of serious concern to all of us and we support Mr. Freeman's decision to put the best interests of the members first," Stern spokeswoman Michelle Ringuette said in an e-mail.

In addition to the payments to his relatives' firms, Freeman's local, the United Long-Term Care Workers, spent nearly $300,000 last year on a Four Seasons Resort golf tournament, restaurants such as a Morton's steakhouse, a Beverly Hills cigar club and the William Morris Agency, the Hollywood talent firm.

Freeman has denied any wrongdoing.

paul.pringle [at] latimes.com
http://www.seiuvoice.org/article.php?id=383#Freeman

Tyrone Freeman's Dirty Tricks Against UHW

A set of ground rules for two meetings with employers that took place with the full knowledge of UHW's rank-and-file leaders and were designed to explore how we might proceed with bargaining given Tyrone Freeman’s continued refusal to develop a common approach with us. (1/21/08)
Tyrone Freeman’s false letter (dated 3/7/08 but received 3/5/08) and e-mail to UHW members (3/6/08) accusing Sal Rosselli of conducting “secret meetings” and making a “secret agreement” with nursing home employers.
The response to Freeman’s dirty tricks by the rank-and-file nursing home members of UHW’s Executive Board (3/7/08)
UHW Nursing Home Division Director John Vellardita’s response to Freeman’s letter (3/6/08).
UHW Background