Teamsters Take Control of Local

Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa placed Local 19 in Grapevine, Texas, under control of the International union, following the resignation of longtime Hoffa supporter and local president J.D. Potter.

Hoffa named Joe Darmento, a 10-year Teamster veteran from Louisville, Ky., to serve as trustee on an interim basis. Local 19 has about 3,500 members in four states, most of whom work in airline-related industries.

Potter came under a cloud when the court-appointed Teamster election officer, Michael Cherkasky, ordered him disqualified in his bid to be Southern Region vice president on the Hoffa slate because of violations of court-approved election rules.

On Feb. 24, Election Appeals Master Kenneth Conboy agreed that Potter had listed a $5,000 donation to the Hoffa campaign as having been made by five union members in order to conceal the illegality of the contribution. Conboy ruled that since Potter’s illegal contribution — and lying about it later — could have made the difference in the Southern Region election, Conboy had to order a rerun of the election.

“The Teamsters are committed to restoring democratic principles and ensuring locals are working to the benefit of the members,” Hoffa said. “We will provide the membership the opportunity to find new leadership. Leadership that will communicate with the rank and file, leadership that will represent the membership and leadership that will empower the working men and women of Local 19.”

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