McCarron Brothers Battle Over the Future of the Carpenters Union

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Stand With Mike:

On Friday, October 4, 2013, Mike McCarron and two other members of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (SWRCC) filed suit, in Federal Court in the Central District of California [Case no. SACV13-1559 JVS ANX; 8-13CV1559 JVS ANX] against the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) seeking to overturn a trusteeship imposed upon the SWRCC and Carpenters Local 1506. The suit also names as defendants, Mike's brother Doug McCarron, the UBC's General President, Douglas Banes, the UBC's General Vice President, and Michael Draper, a UBC District Vice President who has been appointed as Trustee of the SWRCC. Mike McCarron and the two other members filed an ex parte application for a T.R.O. and Preliminary Injunction dissolving the trusteeship.

According to court documents Mike McCarron is the elected Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the SWRCC. His brother Doug McCarron is the General President of the UBC. The court documents claim the brothers are embroiled in a bitter personal dispute. The complaint alleges Doug McCarron is abusing his position as General President to gain leverage over Mike and push him out of the union. On July 22, 2013, Doug allegedly caused the UBC to impose an improper trusteeship on the SWRCC, removing Mike from his elected position, and allegedly placed a de facto trusteeship over Local 1506. The complaint filed in this matter alleges the trusteeship violates the UBC Constitution and the Labor Management Relations Disclosure Act.

The court documents further allege the dispute between Doug and Mike erupted in December 2011, over a $66,000.00 raise to Doug's girlfriend. Tensions mounted when Mike discovered Doug was collecting his Southern California Carpenter pension in spite of UBC summary pension plan rules to the contrary. The situation completely deteriorated after the death of their mother on May 21, 2013. According to court declarations, Mike is a trustee to his late mother's estate. This fact infuriated Doug, because he had no control over the estate, and Mike would not liquidate it as Doug demanded.

According to Department of Labor financial reports, the SWRCC has approximately 65,000 members and $250,000,000.00 in assets. The SWRCC is one of the largest in terms of membership and the most profitable council in the Carpenters Union. According to Mike McCarron's declaration the SWRCC has operated and expanded under his direction since his election to its top post in 1999.

SOURCE Stand With Mike