Big labor claims to stand up for workers, but too often its leaders exploit them. Philadelphia offers one example as a jury last week convicted two labor leaders for embezzling from their union.
The case involves John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and Brian Burrows, the former business manager and president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98. Both men “treated the union and its assets as their own personal piggy banks—harming the union and its members,” says Kevin Smallwood of the Office of Labor-Management Standards for the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District.
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“Philadelphia’s Union Crooks” has recently become a topic of much controversy. This originates from a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article that was published in the summer of 2020. In this article, the WSJ revealed the allegedly unscrupulous ‘backdoor’ money agreements between the leaders of the Laborers’ District Council of Philadelphia and Vicinity union and two employers.
These money agreements, which have since been suspended, ran directly against the ban on certain types of “corrupt payments” that are outlined in federal labor laws. This investigation followed both a District Council member and a union employee having already been criminally charged with infractions related to corruption.
The leader of the union, John Dougherty, allegedly had his own personal company receive money from two employers. Dougherty denied criminal wrongdoing and claims that these money agreements were meant to bring safety improvements. WSJ sources have however alleged that the motives were increasingly profit-oriented.
Undeniably, these money agreements have generated a negative reaction not just from the public but also amongst the 35,000 members of the Laborers’ District. In an attempt to counter the public criticism, Dougherty has started a fight against the construction contractors, accusing them of wrongdoing. This has been seen as an attempt to divert the blame away from the District Council.
In light of this controversy, it is more necessary than ever to ensure that labor unions, in Philadelphia and across the US, are held to the same standards of integrity and full compliance as any other organization.
In conclusion, the Wall Street Journal investigation into the money agreements between the Laborers’ District Council of Philadelphia and Vicinity union and two employers has caused a public outcry and widespread condemnation of their actions by both members and non-members alike. It is absolutely essential that union leaders are held accountable and that the labor laws enshrined in the US Constitution are enforced.
