Meet the Independent Monitor–– GLEN MCGORTY

Glen G McCorty

Dear Members of the District Council and its Benefit Funds,

It is a great honor to be appointed as your Independent Monitor. First and foremost, I am committed to approaching this position with diligence and respect. The District Council and its Benefit Funds have a tumultuous past, but the core mission runs deep. Every interaction I have had with its Brothers and Sisters has shown me that you are here to support each other, and that you will hold the District Council and its Benefit Funds accountable to that purpose. I will aid you in this endeavor, drawing on my experience of nearly fifteen years as a federal prosecutor, during which I prosecuted organized crime, fraud, and corruption of every sort.

I come to the Council at a time when the most visible forms of corruption have been abolished. However, this success required the decisive action of both the District Court and United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and its appointed Monitors. Great progress has been made in adopting policies that guard against corruption, and I firmly believe that it is now time for the District Council and the Benefit Funds to assume a greater role in holding itself up to the admirable standards set forth in the UBC Constitution.

I will work with the leadership of the Council and the Funds to ensure that all improvements to its operations going forward benefit members in a fair, effective, and compliant way. And while my approach to this job will be one of teamwork and cooperation, make no mistake that I am here for a single purpose: to ensure this union remains free of the problems which have plagued its past. As a result, I will not tolerate corruption at any level of this organization and I intend to use the powers given to me by the District Court to prioritize this goal above all others.

I do not believe my time here, however, is indefinite. On the contrary, during my tenure I hope to oversee the strengthening of the governing framework to the point where a monitor is no longer necessary. Self-governance cannot be achieved without your involvement. This Council’s democratic system of governance depends on it, and corruption can rebound all too easily amid disinterest.

I urge you to stay educated about the issues facing the District Council and its Benefit Funds and to use your voice and your vote in an informed and reasoned way. I also urge you to use both the Independent Monitor Hotline (877-712-4896) and internal lines of reporting, if you have any concerns about corrupt practices. This union has a bright future, and I look forward to assisting in any way I can to get it there.

Respectfully, Glen G. McGorty