Big LV Teamsters local taken over by national union

David Strow

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

The national Teamsters union placed Las Vegas' largest Teamsters local under emergency trusteeship Wednesday following an internal investigation.

Teamsters Local 631, which represents nearly 5,000 workers in Las Vegas, was placed under the trusteeship of Jim Wilkerson on Wednesday morning. Wilkerson retired as president of Las Vegas-based Teamsters Local 14 in 1995.

"An investigation of the local union has uncovered severe mismanagement that has negatively impacted members of our union," International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James P. Hoffa said in a statement. "We have taken the necessary action to ensure that this local union protects and serves the members."

Wilkerson said Hoffa asked him to take over 631 early Wednesday morning. All of the union's local officers have been fired, he said. However, Wilkerson emphasized that no former employees have been accused of illegal activities.

"The complaints came from the membership locally, and they go to the general president (Hoffa)," Wilkerson said. "I would assume he had read, heard and seen enough to believe that the local was in jeopardy, losing membership and dying on the vine because of lack of representation. (Hoffa) asked me if I'd be willing to come out of retirement and get the union back on its feet."

The union was under the control of Secretary-Treasurer Tim Murphy, who had been with the local for one year. Murphy could not be reached for comment.

Rob Black, spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said nine of the union's 550 locals have been placed under trusteeship since Hoffa's election last March.

"I wouldn't say it's rare, but it's not regular," Black said. "It is an extreme measure that the international does not do unless the situation absolutely warrants it.

"We have a commitment to make sure that the locals ultimately serve their members. It's members' dues ... and if members aren't being served, the Hoffa administration is going to do their darndest to fix it."

Wilkerson said his trusteeship will last until the union can be reorganized and new officials put up for election. That process could take as long as 18 months, he said.

The Teamsters said an investigation launched last year discovered evidence that the local's former management failed to file grievances on behalf of its members, negotiated "substandard" agreements with employees and failed to enforce collective bargaining agreements.

The national office also claimed "officers and representatives of the local union are inexperienced and unable to provide adequate representation to the members," and that "employment decisions by the principal officer have been motivated by political reasons."

Local 631 primarily represents freight drivers, mechanics and janitors. Its workers are employed at the Nevada Test Site, Silver State Disposal, the Las Vegas Convention Center and United Parcel Service.