Judge delays new constitution for stagehands’ union

Alana Roberts

Friday, Oct. 1, 2004 | 10:50 a.m.

A federal judge has ruled that two trustees appointed by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees to oversee IATSE Local 720 in April 2002 cannot implement a new constitution before an election to appoint new officers is held.

U.S. District Court Judge Howard McKibben also ruled that the trustees would remain until the U.S. Labor Department-overseen election is held with a deadline of Jan. 5. The trusteeship would be dissolved after that.

On Aug. 13, a group of former Local 720 leaders, led by Scot Roper, filed a second motion for preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in order to stop the international union's trustees from implementing a new constitution before dissolving.

Both sides agreed in court documents that a new constitution is needed, but the former Local 720 leaders don't agree with the version sent to workers for a vote. The former Local 720 leaders alleged the new constitution would allow the international union to continue controlling Local 720 even after the trustees leave.

IATSE spokeswoman Lindajo Loftus declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Ballots in the election to approve the constitution were counted on Aug. 25, and the trustees said in court filings that the constitution was approved by 60 percent of those who voted.

The trustees, Dennis Brook and Robert Trombetta, were appointed in April 2002 by the international union to oversee operations at Local 720 after the international revoked the local's charter. In court filings, the international union alleged financial misconduct within the union and a "complete breakdown in the democratic processes of the local." The financial misconduct allegations were later dropped by the international.

The decision in the lawsuit, filed in March 2003, is one step toward resolving the dispute between the international union and the former Local 720 leaders.

Michael Urban, an attorney for the former Local 720 leaders, said his clients are hoping to resolve their disputes with the international union.

"I'm 100 percent happy with the decision. Right now what we're trying to do is get a fair and free election and return control to Local 720," Urban said.

However other legal disputes between the international union and the former Local 720 leaders are still pending. In the same lawsuit, the former Local 720 leaders alleged the trusteeship was unnecessary to resolving issues the leaders had with trying to deal with Las Vegas' growing economy.

The former leaders also allege Thomas Short, president of IATSE, fraudulently obtained a letter from officers of Local 720 enabling IATSE to revoke Local 720's charter and establish the trusteeship. They also allege Short fraudulently induced the officers to transfer the title of the union's property to the international union.

Urban said those allegations are still pending.