March 1, 1996
VIA UPS OVERNIGHT
Louis Lacroix
March 1, 1996
Page 1
Louis Lacroix, President
Teamsters Canada
2540 Daniel Johnson Boulevard #804
Laval, Quebec H7T 2S3
Garnet Zimmerman, President
Teamsters Local Union 31
1 Grosvenor Square, Annacis Island
Delta, British Columbia V3M 5S1
Ron Carey, General President
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
James P. Hoffa
2593 Hounds Chase
Troy, MI 48098
Louis Lacroix
March 1, 1996
Page 1
Re: Election Office Case No. P-396-LU31-CAN
Gentlemen:
A protest was filed pursuant to the Rules for the 1995-1996 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election (“Rules”) by Louis Lacroix, a candidate for International vice president and a member of the Ron Carey slate.
Mr. Lacroix alleges that Local Union 31 President Garnet Zimmerman improperly used 31 TEAMwork, a union-financed publication, to support the candidacies of Mr. Hoffa and his slate of candidates. Mr. Zimmerman is a member of Mr. Hoffa’s slate. Mr. Lacroix also alleges that portions of the article negatively and misleadingly portray the “policies of Teamsters Canada under my leadership.”
Regional Coordinator Gwen K. Randall investigated this protest.
The article in question, “Hoffa visits Vancouver,” was the subject of a previous protest filed with the Election Officer. Kilmury, P-303-LU31-CAN (February 15, 1996) , aff’d,
Louis Lacroix
March 1, 1996
Page 1
96 - Elec. App. - 109 (February 28, 1996). In Kilmury, the Election Officer found that the article violated Article VIII, Section 8(a) of the Rules because it “includes explicit campaign material” on behalf of Mr. Carey’s candidacy and did not afford equal treatment to other candidates as required by the Rules. As a remedy, the Election Officer required Local Union 31 to finance and mail campaign materials on behalf of all adversely affected candidates. The Election Appeals Master subsequently affirmed the Election Officer’s holding and remedy.
The allegations made in Mr. Lacroix’s protest do not differ from those made by the protester in Kilmury. Thus, the allegations in this protest have been previously addressed and a remedy has been ordered.
Mr. Lacroix’s protest is therefore considered RESOLVED.
Any interested party not satisfied with this determination may request a hearing before the Election Appeals Master within one day of receipt of this letter. The parties are reminded that, absent extraordinary circumstances, no party may rely upon evidence that was not presented to the Office of the Election Officer in any such appeal. Requests for a hearing shall be made in writing and shall be served on:
Kenneth Conboy, Esq.
Latham & Watkins
885 Third Avenue, Suite 1000
New York, NY 10022
Fax (212) 751-4864
Copies of the request for hearing must be served on the parties listed above as well as upon the Election Officer, 400 N. Capitol Street, Suite 855, Washington, DC 20001, Facsimile (202) 624-3525. A copy of the protest must accompany the request for a hearing.
Sincerely,
Barbara Zack Quindel
Election Officer
cc: Kenneth Conboy, Election Appeals Master
Gwen K. Randall, Regional Coordinator