Adisory

Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC)

August 11, 2008

Contact Person: Arturo Garcia

Phone; (213) 413-4944

EPCC: Tyrone Freeman Have to Go!

Los Angeles--The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) express deep outrage over the Los Angeles investigative report of the Los Angeles Times that shows that Tyrone Freeman, a known protégé of SEIU International head Andy Stern have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars( $ 404, 510) to firms owned by Freeman’s wife and in-laws.

As the organization that religiously followed the union struggle between UHW-West and the SEIU international, the LA Times article which detailed allegations of corruption within SEIU Local 6434 ,the Southern California Long Term Care Local , the EPCC have no doubt that Stern and Ana Burger had knowledge of the outrageous happenings in the Tyrone Freeman’s free-wheeling and dealings!

We, in the EPCC knows that it was Stern who appointed Freeman and propped him up with staff and financial support and placing him in succession of positions and conspired with him in the campaign against UHW-West to achieve “power centralization over the backs of hard working union members.”

It was sad to know that while Freeman receives $ 213,000 annual salary, he failed to report his income, his wife earnings and deliberately failed to report business dealings with his relative’s business transactions in behalf of the union.

We in the EPCC are also outraged that while they talk about union and workers interests, they live ostentatious lives like spending on expensive steaks, Havana cigars and golf tournaments and benefit from earnings on shady deals involving business of their relatives.

Freeman and his patrons have a lot to answer for these accusations and have a lot of explaining to do. They must be transparent and be honest enough to answer these accusations within the bounds of the law.

At this time of economic crisis, when all the working people are suffering, union leaders must be the example of frugality and self-sacrifice. Not of obnoxious living and lack of concern and just high-fallutin lip service for the workingmen.

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