Local candidates for the Officer/Executive Board positions in the 2017 election filed numerous challenges to the election that were found to be without merit by the Local Election Committee. The Committee’s rulings were upheld by the Local. The challenges were then filed with the Department of Labor (DOL).
The DOL asked the Local to rerun the election. The Election Committee, the Executive Board and the Membership determined that this was not warranted.
The 2017 Local election was conducted in the same manner as the elections in the past several years for Local 9503, Local 9000 as well as Local 9003. No changes were made.
The DOL wanted the Local to agree that there was improper conduct by candidates during the election process. This was found to be without merit by the Election Committee’s investigation.
The Local declined the DOL’s request, which led to the DOL filing a lawsuit and taking the issue to court.
After months of inquiries and investigation by the DOL, they concluded that, out of the numerous allegations/challenges that were filed, the only violation that was found or substantiated was that the notice of nominations was insufficient and thus requested a rerun of the 2017 election in settlement of the dispute.
While the Local does not agree that any violations of the law occurred, the Executive Board felt that it was in the Local’s best interest to settle and conduct a new election rather than engage in a lengthy and expensive legal battle.
Therefore, a rerun election will be conducted under the supervision of the DOL. Ballots will be tallied at the end of July of 2019.
Please see the following for full details of the stipulation for compromise settlement.
