Insanity

Insanity, that's the word to best describe what happen at last Wednesdays delegate body meeting.

Heil Lebo!!

During questioning, on the MWA crisis, NYC District Council EST Mike Bilello and President Bill Lebo, became unhinged, allowed members of the delegate body to disrupt the meeting, and moved to file charges against me, allegedly for revealing "strategy," by posting the names of newly hired "outside attorneys" on this blog.

The circumstances that occurred are as follows.

During questioning of Biello, specifically on the MWA crisis, I asked, how did you come to make the decision to take the MWA to arbitration and why didn't you inform the delegate body of that decision?

Bilello stated that he, "didn't put much thought" into going into arbitration, and "did not think it was a big issue"at the time.

When questioned further and stating, that the arbitrator issued her decision on May 3, 2012, and on July 16, (three days before a schedule hearing) you called for an "emergency" electronic vote to "hire outside attorneys" to assist you...I asked, why did you wait so long to hire outside attorneys and why has there been no communication to the membership on this MWA crisis?

Bilello, instead of simply answering the question, became enraged, and in an attempt to intimidate and humiliate, shouted:

"You just don't get it! You think you're a journalist for the New York Times, why don't you go work there, this is the NYC District Council!"

Partisan delegates, incited by the comments, heckled and interrupted me from speaking.

President Lebo, did absolutely nothing to stop the heckling or call the meeting to order.

Instead, Lebo acting in a partisan way, aggravated the situation, interrupted Bilello, and grabbed the microphone and screamed:

"You ruined our strategy! We wanted to surprise the MWA with our new attorneys and you ruined it!"

Again partisan delegates incited by Lebo, went wild, heckling, attempting to intimidate, and not allow me to respond.

I was completely dumbfounded.

Lebo, again did not call the meeting to order, instead by failing to uphold the duties of president, (intentionally so) and enforce the UBC Constitution, District Council By-Laws, Roberts Rules of Order, and by failing to faithfully execute his responsibilities to be honest, fair, neutral from partisan politics and protect the rights of all the members, he has committee a list of chargeable offenses.

With all the commotion going on, I though to myself...

The members of this union face "a grave and imminent crisis." The MWA won an arbitration and claim 59 million in damages, they unilaterally cut all employees hourly fringe benefit rate to $10.94, they rejected 4 million offer to settle, we hired outside attorneys to help, there has been absolutely no communication to the membership, and instead of answering a serious question, Bilello and Lebo are using a non-issue of posting attorneys names, to harass, intimidate and incite, all in an effort to divert and deflect attention from their own failings.

Lebo, continuing his tirade, pulled out the constitution, screamed the oath, and called for a motion to file charges against me.

Again partisan delegates erupted in cheers, heckles, did not allow me to respond and passed the motion.

Review Officer Dennis Walsh, who attended the meeting and later responded to an email said, "John: you handled the situation with dignity, which is far more than I can say about others."

Non-partisan delegates and members also responded with calls of support, saying among other things: "you did nothing wrong", "Bilello and Lebo acted inappropriately", they are "harassing you because you hit a nerve with your questions, "you handled the situation good by not responding to harassment," and "any minute I thought the delegates, led by Lebo, were going to burn you at the stake and dance around your dead body."

This is not the first time Lebo has treated me adversely, or in an intimidating and partisan way.

On January 31, 2012 at a Local 45 union meeting Lebo singled me out by name as a security risk, alleged I was responsible for the January 10, Crain’s article, “In blow to contractors, gaffe stalls union vote,” implied I was responsible for the threats of legal action against the District Council by contractor associations and stated he had “written up charges against me” and threatened me in his office. He then said he didn’t file the charges because of “free speech” issues but indicated he may file charges at a later date, saying, “The charges are still in my desk.”

On March 21, 2012 approximately fifteen minutes into a delegate body meeting, Lebo incorrectly ruled me out of order, and unlawfully had me removed from the meeting.

Section 5(F) of the District Council bylaws state among other things: "No Delegate of the Council Delegate Body shall be subject to any adverse employment action, harassment, intimidation, threats, or coercion by the District Council, the Council Delegate Body or any Officer there of for exercising, in good faith, the authority of, or fulfilling the duties of, a Council Delegate as provided for in these Bylaws."

Every rank and filer in attendance and interviewed were shock by the actions of Bilello and Lebo to simply questioning.

Those who gave statements, did so on the condition of anonymity, fearing Lebo's wrath.

"Lebo was so angry, I literally thought his head was going to explode, it was bright red."

"I am so utterly f@#%ing disgusted, by their actions, and the only f@#%ing issue that anyone has is that you posted names, it makes me sick."

"This whole episode is reminiscent of fascist rallies, seen in old newsreel footage, very disturbing."

"Lebo was angry from the start, he threw a brother out of the meeting, for just saying, "more members are coming in,setting the tone for a hostile meeting."

"It look like a well orchestrated lynch mob."

"They want to know why there is apathy, you asked a serious intelligent question and they respond by screaming, and harassing and vote to file charges, unbelievable."

The members of this union had very high hopes when they elected Mike Bilello and Bill Lebo last December. They expected them to govern and lead this union away from its corrupt ugly past and into a more open democratic union, respectful of members rights. Sadly by their own actions they have shattered those hopes and more importantly, made very clear, they are inept, hypocritical, unhinged leaders, its all very very sad!