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DC 37 SELF-DEALING

DC 37 Self-Dealing

To the Editor:

I read with amazement the news about the latest raid on union funds by top DC 37 officials. Once again they merrily throw huge, out-of-scale salary increases at each other.

There is apparently no mechanism in union rule-books to prevent this abuse of power. Our fearless leaders seem free to award each other as much union money as they please, as frequently as they please. Under existing rules, this behavior can be neither stopped nor curbed. If the curbs existed, we would not see such behavior.

The same rules also cleverly protect the top officials from direct accountability to disgusted members. They can be voted out of the office only by a select few who, conveniently, have their hands, too, in the cookie jar.

Is it possible to change the rules to have these positions subject to direct vote by the lowly rank and file? Is it possible to establish rules which would limit the frequency and amount of salary increases for these positions? The answer to both questions is no, because it would not benefit the office-holders.

As the latest round of these mind-boggling mutual money awards among DC 37's leadership shows, the union funds are free for taking by anyone who makes it to the executive level. Incredibly, it is legal, and it cannot be stopped. Consequently, the amount of money taken is limited only by the imagination of the takers. There is no accountability to anyone outside the raiders club.

No wonder that unions are so attractive to organized crime. No wonder there is such voting apathy among union members.

VLADO HALUSKA, Local 375

Editor's note: Mr. Haluska is a Project Manager at the Department of Design and Construction.