UPW’s mainland
parent takes over

AFSCME will retain control
until new officers are elected

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By Rick Daysog
rdaysog@starbulletin.com

The mainland parent union of the United Public Workers said today that it will take over the daily operations of the troubled local union and has suspended the UPW's executive board.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said it will place the UPW under its administratorship and named local attorney Peter Trask as its administrator.

AFSCME said it will manage the union's daily operations until the UPW can hold new board and officer elections.

The move comes after the union's former State Director Gary Rodrigues was convicted Nov. 19 on 101 counts of accepting kickbacks and embezzling union funds.

"We have placed the UPW under administratorship to restore integrity to the leadership of this union and to ensure that our members continue to be well represented," said Gerald McEntee, AFSCME's president.

"When it comes to financial wrongdoing, AFSCME has a zero tolerance policy."

Last week, UPW rank-and-file members petitioned AFSCME to place the local union under trusteeship and to suspend the UPW's 34-member board. The petition was in response to Rodrigues' conviction and the board's hiring of Rodrigues longtime supporter Dwight Takeno as state director.

Trask, 52, has served as attorney for the UPW. He also is a former senior legislative aide to U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. AFSCME also named its local are director Liz Ho to serve as the UPW's deputy administrator.