IN RE: HOBE WILLIAMS,
Protest Decision 2001 EAD 490
Issued: October 3, 2001
OEA Case No. PR091812WE
Hobe Williams, a member of Local 174 and a supporter of the Tom Leedham Rank and File Power slate (the "Leedham slate"), filed a pre-election protest pursuant to Article XIII, Section 2(b) of the Rules for the 2000-2001 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election ("Rules"). He alleges that a two-page letter circulated by Local 174 vice-president Rick Hicks to Local 174 members attacks Williams for his support of the Leedham slate.
Election Administrator representative J. Griffin Morgan investigated the protest.
Findings of Fact and Analysis
We DENY the protest. The challenged Hicks letter, which the local union funded, does attack Williams, but for reasons unrelated to his support of the Leedham slate. The letter thus responds to a flyer circulated by Williams challenging the amount of dues charged by Local 174, and various work-related issues. Neither the Williams flyer nor the Hicks letter discuss, much less mention, the International officer election. The protest is devoid of merit.
Any interested party not satisfied with this determination may request a hearing before the Election Appeals Master within two (2) working days of receipt of this decision. The parties are reminded that, absent extraordinary circumstances, no party may rely upon evidence that was not presented to the Office of the Election Administrator in any such appeal. Requests for a hearing shall be made in writing, shall specify the basis for the appeal, and shall be served upon:
Kenneth Conboy
Election Appeals Master
Latham & Watkins
Suite 1000
885 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Fax: 212-751-4864
Copies of the request for hearing must be served upon all other parties, as well as upon the Election Administrator for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 727 15th Street NW, Tenth Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (facsimile: 202-454-1501), all within the time prescribed above. A copy of the protest must accompany the request for hearing.
William A. Wertheimer, Jr.
William A. Wertheimer, Jr.
Election Administrator
cc: Kenneth Conboy
2001 EAD 490
DISTRIBUTION LIST VIA UPS NEXT DAY AIR:
Patrick Szymanski
IBT General Counsel
25 Louisiana Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20001
Bradley T. Raymond
Finkel, Whitefield, Selik,
Raymond, Ferrara & Feldman
32300 Northwestern Highway
Suite 200
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
J. Douglas Korney
Korney & Heldt
30700 Telegraph Road
Suite 1551
Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Barbara Harvey
Penobscot Building
Suite 1800
645 Griswold
Detroit, MI 48226
Betty Grdina
Yablonski, Both & Edelman
Suite 800
1140 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tom Leedham c/o Stefan Ostrach
110 Mayfair
Eugene, OR 97404
Todd Thompson
209 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
IBT Local 174
553 John Street
Seattle, WA 98109
Matt Ginsburg
30 Third Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11271
James L. Hicks, Jr., P.C.
Suite 1100
2777 N. Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
Rick Hicks
IBT Local 174
553 John Street
Seattle, WA 98109
Kenneth J. Pedersen
Davies Roberts & Reid LLP
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Suite 550
Seattle, WA 98119
Hobe Williams
19080 NE Wood-Duvall Rd.
Woodinville, WA 98072
J. Griffin Morgan
Elliott, Pishko, Gelbin & Morgan
426 Old Salem Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27101