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Union Facts

Utility Workers

Officials Sentenced

Office of Labor-Management Enforcement

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) conducts both civil and criminal investigations of alleged violations of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and related laws.

These investigations by OLMS District Offices involve issues such as embezzlements of union funds, union officer elections, the filing of required reports by unions and others with OLMS, and the imposition of trusteeships over subordinate unions by a parent body. These investigations may result in legal enforcement actions.

DateDescription
June 20th, 2017On June 20, 2017, in the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Arthur W. Boedecker, former Vice President of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 270 (located in Brooklyn Heights, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of aggravated theft from a union in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2913.02 A(3). On the same date, Boedecker was sentenced to a jail term of three days and fined $500. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
October 26th, 2016On October 26, 2016, in the Nassau County District Court in Mineola, New York, Charles Burke, former Treasurer of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 365 (located in Valley Stream, N.Y.), was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay the remaining $37,000 in restitution. Burke had previously paid $74,000 in restitution. On March 8, 2016, Burke pled guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the 1st degree, for embezzling $111,000 from UWUA Local 365. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
November 19th, 2012On November 19, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Alan Grayewski, former Chairperson of Utility Workers Local 223 – Office, Professional & Technical Division (located in Dearborn, Mich.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay $9,794.76 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On August 24, 2012, Grayewski pled guilty to one count of failing to maintain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
December 13th, 2011On December 13, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Robert Cole, former Financial Secretary of Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 124 (located in Irons, Mich.), was sentenced to two years probation with the first six months on home detention without electronic monitoring. Cole was also ordered to pay $11,605.59 in restitution and a $150 special assessment. On August 11, 2011, Cole pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $11,605.59, one count of filing a false report, and one count of making false entries in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
August 14th, 2008On August 14, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Amy Cross, former Secretary-Treasurer of Utility Workers Local 308 (located in Lima, Ohio), was sentenced to three months of home confinement, two years supervised release and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $31,886. On April 30, 2008, Cross plead guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.