Updated: Entire CWA Local 1034 Board removed indefinitely

wow (0.00 / 0)

this can't be good for Carla ... or Corzine.

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by: huntsu @ Mon Jul 07, 2008 at 22:26:38 PM UTC

The truth as I know it (4.00 / 1)

Prior to her opposition to the state worker union contract Katz was given free reign and complete control of the CWA political apparatus in New Jersey. CWA leadership gladly let her do what she wanted and encouraged her to push the CWA agenda because she was without a doubt the most effective political operative in CWA.

But that all ended when she opposed the contract and worked against the CWA leadership and the other CWANJ Presidents.

They have been gunning for her ever since.

Vice President Chris Shelton, Political Director Bob Masters , and CWA 1040 President Carolyn Wade vowed to pay her back for her opposition.

Katz made some mistakes along the way and gave these people an opening. They waited until after the CWA National Convention to pull this " coup" .

They used their power to remove her but there is no justification for her removal. All of the things they said she did they either  knew of or approved.

This is all about petty jealousy and control of an organization that is completely losing its power and influence in New Jersey politics.  

CWA has become a dysfunctional , second rate union that needs to hide behind other unions like the NJEA. Its leadership is filled with " little people " who are only concerned with their own well being and have little concern about the 55,000 members it represents.

Katz is no angel but she is not a crook. She is a tough, hard working union leader who sometimes  rubs peple the wrong way.

She is getting set up. That is the truth. The public is getting a rare inside look at the " dirty " part of Unions.

...and to those who truly believe in the need for Unions that is a real tragedy.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 03:25:48 AM UTC

either she did or she didn't (4.00 / 1)

If she used union funds to support her own re-election, that is a problem.  If she used the PAC funds for her own power plays, that is a problem.  Apologists for Katz can try to gloss over it, but the facts are the facts.  

Of course, if it turns out that this has as much validity as "the seventeen words," that is a different story.  But, I don't expect that to happen.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 05:05:25 AM UTC

"Either or...if.....if.....Apologists...." (0.00 / 0)

"The facts are the facts".....if

What "facts"?  All we have here, so far, are  allegations and denials.

This will likely be decided by a real judge who will (hopefully) be dealing with real evidence and sworn testimony.

If (yes, I too am speculating here ;-) the national pulled this trigger and can't eventually prove all of the allegations in court (civil and/or criminal); this should cost them dearly.

For Katz the mere loss of a job is the least of her concerns.  

If she is innocent of these charges; I hope she fights tooth and nail (in and out of court) to clear her name and blow the mud back into the faces of her accusers.

If she messed up, for whatever reasons, and has done these things she needs to own up, get off the stage and accept the consequences.

My guess/sense is that firstamend07's take is probably closer to the truth than your own "expectations".

Then again, we are only at the beginning of what will, sadly, be a long drawn out process.

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by: Nick Lento @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 07:39:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

time will tell. n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Creed Pogue @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 15:17:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ONe charge isn't even something wrong (0.00 / 0)

-- Authorized -- with little or no oversight -- the use of more than $700,000 in union funds to be used for political donations, some of which went to candidates in areas where the local has few members.

Anyone in the state legislator, from any corner of the state, is of legitimate interest to the union. When I read that as part of the charges, it made me wonder how much the rest of the charges are trumped up nonsense, too.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 12:33:55 PM UTC

Trumped Up is Right (0.00 / 0)

For many ,many years CWA was perfectly content with allowing Katz to be the political person in New Jersey. They gave her free reign and she spread the money around as any smart political operative would do. No one complained.

Only in the last 1 1/2 years, since she came out against the ratification of the state worker contract that was negotiated by CWA V.P. Shelton, CWA 1040 President Carolyn Wade, and Political director Bob Masters was there any talk of " oversight".

This take over is simply a " coup". It is designed to destroy her credibility before she can even defend herself. It was also a publicity stunt.

For those who believe in Unionism and in Union democracy this move by the CWA leadership borders on shameful.

If there was any hint of malfeasance with the books the CWA  triumverate would have called Chris Christie in a second. They did not call because they know there is nothing to the charges.

It is all about character assasination, jealousy, and egos.

This why CWA is a Union on the down turn.      

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jul 08, 2008 at 23:43:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Some thoughts (0.00 / 0)

It's my understanding that some of the charges against Katz stem from her recent failed campaign for Region 1 Vice President -- specifically that she inappropriately used the local's general funds for her campaign. In which case, the argument that she was given "free reign" all these years doesn't apply because at least this one specific infraction would have just occurred therefore making the timing of the action to remove her more logical.

I also wonder if the decision wasn't made at the recent convention, then if it was made at an Executive Board meeting of the newly elected officers immediately following the convention. I don't know if that is what occurred but if so, it would make the timing less suspect in my mind.

It is easy to characterize this internal fight as an "us vs them" issue... the local versus the national. But it's also my understanding that there is some significant internal opposition to Katz from her Local 1034 members as well.

Now it may seem like a dirty process, but unions are suppose to be democratic institutions, 100x more so then our places of employment. If in fact, some Local 1034 members blew the whistle and reported to their national union what they felt were violations of their constitution by Katz, at least they had some recourse. The same cannot be said of our employers or our elected officials often times. Furthermore, I don't understand why a member would go to Chris Christie first before exhausting all the internal channels.

I also think that it would be wrong to assume that trusteeing a local union or removing its officers is always an anti democratic move. Often it has been used as a tool to remove corrupt union officials, mob-tied union officials that have  been blocking union democracy and violating members rights.

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by: Christopher @ Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 04:19:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Publicity stunt (0.00 / 0)

The violations that the National Union alleged that she committed are not Union rule violations, they are violations of federal law. If they were valid the evidence would have been turned over to Chris Christie.

They were not turned over because they are not valid.

This was strictly a takeover  for internal political reasons. By ousting her it will take her years to get back in and in the mean time she will be out of the politicla picture in Trenton. That is whatthe CWA powers really want.
 

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by: firstamend07 @ Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 11:01:18 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Remember when... (4.00 / 1)

The contract negotiations were going on? You had posts accusing the Wade/Masters/Shelton of lying about emails.
http://www.bluejersey.net/show...
What happened? Everything they said at the time turned out to be true. Why the change of heart?

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

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by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 13:27:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bill deserves a "10!" (0.00 / 0)

So, since Wade/Masters/Shelton were right by Katz' OWN admission, then why shouldn't she have resigned already????

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by: Creed Pogue @ Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 15:12:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]