District Council Accounting Progress Report

In an effort to make our District Council more fiscally responsible, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters hired Certified Public Accountant Terence Mooney to audit the accounts and records of the Council during the time period between July 1, 2006 and August 9, 2009.

During the October hearings at the Javits Center, Mr. Mooney presented a report with recommendations for the District Council to achieve this goal. The following is an update on how we have addressed each item noted by Mr. Mooney.

(John's note: It was because of former President Pete Thomassen's leadership, policies and recommendations that our Council did not preform the necessary standard of care established by the UBC and Department of Labor. Internal controls were lacking and the affairs of the Council were conducted in a manner detrimental to the welfare and best interest of the Council and its members, yet the UBC in their infinite wisdom chose not to hold Thomassen responsible and instead name him assistant supervisor.) 
acct

Exclusive: UBC Hearing Testimony

Clearly, Unity Team union officers, motivated by greed, conducted the affairs of the council like a self-serving out of control criminal enterprise, that was both detrimental to the welfare and best interest of the district council and its members.

With the arrest of Mike Forde and revelations at the UBC Hearings of:

• Corruption
• Drug use
• Prostitution (see page 505)
  
• Hiding illegal weapons and drugs on our property
• Employees removing hair from their bodies in order to avoid detection of drug use 
• Financial Mismanagement
• Cash Flow Mismanagement, costing $300 to $500 thousand per year in lost interest (see page 5)
  
• Trustees not adequately performing their duties
• Losing control over the management of employee spending
  
• Employees with serious driving offense are provided union cars and expense reimbursements
  
• Flawed systems of accountability in place (see page 93)

There is widespread disgust, outrage and mistrust building among the rank and file, demanding more financial transparency, accountability and detailed information on how our dues money is spent.

Since becoming Supervisor, Frank Spencer has undertaken "several measures" in an attempt to correct the problems plaguing the district council. While we applaud Mr. Spencer's initiatives, observers say they fall short of the mark.

The biggest obstacle to reform, is these "measures" are being implemented by the same people who have failed us and led us to where we are today.

It not assuring that Spencer named former "Unity Team" partner, Pete Thomassen, as "assistant" nor the fact that most of Forde's enablers are still in positions of power and trustees to our benefit funds. This is a major source of mistrust and anger among the rank and file.

The illusion that Spencer has cleaned house is just that; an illusion.

Why did Spencer name Thomassen, assistant supervisor?

Why would Spencer do this?

Is union politics trumping what is in the best interest of the membership?

Unfortunately, these questions remain unanswered, since Spencer has refused to answer written questions, or provide a forum to answer questions directly.

Below are links to the full transcripts for the UBC Hearings on October 15,16, 2009 held at the Javits Center in New York City.

Date Received	Testimony	Notes
October 15, 2009	Transcript pages 1 to 200
October 15, 2009	Transcript Pages 201 to 412
October 16, 2009	Transcript Pages 413 to 613
October 15, 2009	Supervisor, Frank Spencer with Exhibits
October 15, 2009	Terrence R Mooney, Certified Public Account with Exhibits
October 15, 2009	Phil Newkirk, Assistant to General President Douglas McCarron with Exhibits
October 15, 2009	John Musumeci, UBC member with Exhibits
March 11, 2010	Final Hearing Committee Report

UBC Hearing Testimony -- Frank Spencer

Below is testimony given by Supervisor, Frank Spencer to the UBC Hearing Committee on October 15, 2009:

Exhibit A, B, C, D 
Spencer

UBC Hearing Testimony Day 2

Below is the testimony from Day 2 of the UBC Hearings on October 16, 2009.
10-16 UBC Hearing Pg 1-200

UBC Hearing Testimony

I attended the afternoon hearing session, attendance was poor, fewer than 200 members showed up. The members that spoke were very good, very passionate. I will have more to say later, below is my testimony with links to exhibits.

Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Exhibit D
Exhibit E
Exhibit F
Exhibit G
Exhibit H
UBC Hearing Testimony

Report To The UBCJA Hearings Committee

Below is testimony with links to exhibits given by Phil Newkirk to the Hearing Committee. Mr. Newkirk is a thirty year UBC member who currently serves as an Assistant to General President Douglas McCarron.

(John's note. The report fails to mention, Director of Operations Maurice Leary is the Recording Secretary of local 608. Leary’s lack of knowledge about the union car crash, suspended license and local 157 ba's AWOL is not creditable. Newkirk also fails to hold Pete Thomassen,  Dennis Sheild and OWL supervisor, Scott Danielson accountable. Fails to mention how in November of 2004 Thomassen obstructed Mack's investigation of Tri-built and hired Kroll to take over the investigation from Mack. Fails to mention the contempt charge and how the district council officers "engaged in, at least, willful ignorance" of the corrupt conduct by companies like Tri-Built and On Par, which are believed to be two of the six unnamed contractors in the indictment and were notoriously known among carpenters as "cash" companies, “yet permitted to work corrupt for years.”) Also no mention of Benefit Fund employee corruption.

Exhibit A Exhibit B Exhibit C Exhibit D Exhibit E

Exhibit F Exhibit G Exhibit H Exhibit I Exhibit J

Exhibit K Exhibit L Exhibit M Exhibit N Exhibit O

Exhibit P Exhibit Q Exhibit R Exhibit S Exhibit T

Exhibit U Exhibit V

Report to the Hearings Committee III.doc

UBC Hearing Testimony Day 1

Below is the testimony from Day 1 of the UBC Hearings pages 1 to 200 held on October 15, 2009.
10-15 UBC Hearing pg 1-200

District Council Hearing Notice

The NYC District Council of Carpenters will be holding hearings for members of the NYC District Council of Carpenters on October 15th and October 16th at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

Dc Hearing