Union boss Tyrone Freeman has stolen a lot of money from low wage union members. According to the the Los Angeles Times (link) in a Pulitzer-worth piece, reporter Paul Pringle will not be invited to the next SEIU Christmas Party. This SEIU local, 6424 United Long-Term Care Workers, is controlled by its organizer Freeman. It has some 190,000 workers paying each month into his local. Local 6424 sees itself as the "poor helping the poor" union. Like many such unexamined unions, this one became Freeman’s personal bank. 
Pringle reports that Freeman spent $300,000 last year on a Four Season Resorts golf tournament, a Beverly Hills cigar club, generated a $12,000 bill from Morton’s Steakhouse and paid consulting PR contract with the William Morris Agency.
Worse that his luxurious union boss lifestyle, is how he siphons big dollars for his relatives. He gave his brother in law’s basket ball team $16,000 ("public relations"). Freeman’s wife, Pilar Planells, has done well. She "owns" a company called Homecare Workers Training Center were among the union’s largest single expenses last year. Pillar was a union staff member until 2006, earning more than $50,000. She left to form a new company "Lotus Seven Productions". In 2007 the union paid Lotus some $178.000. Lotus "produced" 10 videos that promote the union. Sadly, Lotus does not have a business license. Lotus is located at the Freeman home. Subtle.
But don’t forget the mother-in-law. Carmen Planells, provides a day care center at her home. She receives more than $90,000 annually from the SEIU.
**There is more – click the link**
August 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Shawn,
Thanks for your report; very well said.
Tom Tucker
August 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Nicely done! This is a sad commentary on greed but not surprising when it comes to union corruption.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. I used to subscribe to an e-mail list that highlighted recent union indictments and convictions. There was so much activity to report on that it took too long to read.