Peace Officers of California (POC) and AFSCME tout the decertification campaign is about democracy and transparency and will free members from the tyrannous oversight of CSLEA. Ironically, AFSCME the International holds the same powers over its local affiliates that CSLEA does through its Constitution and Standing Rules. Here are a couple of excerpts from the AFSCME Constitution:
Section 37. If the International President shall find (1) that a subordinate body has seceded or purported to secede, or (2) that dissolution or secession of a subordinate body is threatened, or (3) that dissipation or loss of the funds or assets of a subordinate body is threatened, or (4) that the subordinate body has deliberately filed false per capita tax or other financial or audit reports with the International Union, or (5) that a subordinate body interferes publicly with the organizing campaign of another subordinate body, or (6) that a subordinate body is acting in violation of this Constitution or of any lawful order of the Convention, the International Executive Board, or the International President, so that in the opinion of the International President an emergency situation exists, the International President is empowered to place such subordinate body under administratorship pending notice and hearing. For purposes of this Section and Section 38 of this Article, a subordinate body shall not be deemed to be interfering with the organizing campaign of another subordinate body if it asserts a good-faith claim of jurisdiction over the workers involved. The International President shall immediately refer the matter to the Judicial Panel for hearing in the manner hereinafter provided, shall notify the subordinate body, and shall promptly submit a written report to all members of the International Executive Board notifying them of such action and the reasons therefor.
Section 38. If the International President shall have reasonable cause to believe that a subordinate body or the officers, employees, or members thereof are (1) engaged in financial malpractice or corruption, or (2) violating the obligations of a collective bargaining agreement, or (3) acting in violation of this Constitution or any lawful order of the Convention, the International Executive Board, or the International President, or (4) threatening secession or dissolution, or (5) conducting the affairs of the subordinate body in such a manner as directly and seriously to jeopardize the fundamental rights and interests of the membership of the subordinate body or the International Union, or (6) interfering with the organizing campaign of another subordinate body, or (7) conducting the affairs of the subordinate body in such a manner as to deprive members of the subordinate body of the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights for Union Members contained in this Constitution, or potential members of the right to become members of appropriate subordinate bodies, and that such conduct cannot or will not be immediately remedied by the subordinate body, the International President shall refer the matter to the Judicial Panel for hearing and/or investigation in the manner hereinafter provided and shall notify the subordinate body.
In fact the International did utilize the power of administratorship when it placed Local 2620 in trust for a number of years. 2620 is the AFSCME affiliate which represents the State health care services employees. Attached (see related file “local 2620” above) is a message from current local president Sean Carey which was also signed by other leaders criticizing AFSCME International for denying/cancelling worksite meetings, refusal to provide financial reports, election irregularities including fraud and ballot stuffing, installation of a local affiliate president without an official vote, replacement of business agents, and hiring of armed guards to restrict members from attending stewards training.
For whatever reason AFSCME placed Local 2620 in administratorship, the point is that all labor organizations have rules that members and affiliate organizations are expected to follow. For POC/AFSCME to criticize CSLEA for utilizing the same procedures that AFSCME has used is just plain hy-POC-critical.
