Gangland 5/18/2023

[Dr031718]

Feds: Ex-Union Big James Cahill A 'Source Of Rot;' Deserves At Least Five Years Behind Bars

Federal prosecutors say former union leader James Cahill was "in a class all by himself" as a labor racketeer and deserves a minimum of five years behind bars at his sentencing today.

Cahill, who pleaded guilty to taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from an employer, sold out his members for cash bribes and gifts both big and small, prosecutors said in a sentencing memo. The union big also, they allege, negotiated working arrangements in the construction industry with a violent Serbian-American gang leader and two Gambino family capos.

Cahill's motivation, prosecutors say in their sentencing memo was "greed and lust for power." They agree with Manhattan Federal Court Judge Colleen McMahon that Cahill was the "source of the rot" in a case in which 11 union officials admitted taking cash bribes, and that he should get a longer prison term than what's called for in his plea deal.

In a bid to counter the argument made by Cahill's lawyer that the labor leader's actions had never harmed his fellow union members, prosecutors included snippets of dozens of conversations recorded by a wire-wearing plumbing contractor — identified only as Employer-1. The conversations reveal Cahill telling the employer on several occasions not to bother signing a union contract.

They also cited taped talks that appear to show Cahill guiding several union officials into taking their first bribes. "Welcome to the real world," he told one official after he got a $2500 payoff.

And they used more tapes to detail how Cahill coached a sister union official on how to give their free-spending benefactor work with a developer who had always used union contractors.

As the sting operation drew towards a close nearly three years ago, prosecutors wrote, Employer-1 told Arthur Gipson, a business agent for Local 200 of the Plumbers Union, a longtime crony to whom the employer had paid bribes years earlier, that he wanted to get Local 200's "support, or at least Local 200's non-opposition" for him to obtain work from the developer.

Sources say Gipson, who took a $5000 bribe from Employer-1 soon after the investigation began, and another $1000 payoff a few months later, had unwittingly triggered the decision by Employer-1 to wear a wire and make cases against corrupt union officials five years ago.

The sources say Employer-1 decided to flip when he believed that Gipson was "trying to introduce (the plumbing contractor's) 17-year-old son into the gangster aspects of the construction business" that he had backed away from years earlier.

"He was furious with Gipson," said one source. "They knew each other for years; his kids called him Uncle Arty and he knew that (Employer-1) didn't want his kid to follow in his footsteps."

While driving to a meet with Gipson on August 19, 2020, two months before the defendants were arrested, Cahill, a former president of Local 638 of the Steamfitters Union, and Employer-1 "plotted what Cahill would say to Gipson — specifically, that Gipson should refrain from interfering with Employer-1's efforts to get a project with Developer-1," the prosecutors wrote.

But Gipson resisted Cahill's urging, the prosecutors wrote, stating "that other officials at Local 200 would be angry with him" and that he needed "to have some fucking protection here. Cause I'm gonna catch a lot of shit for this."

After Employer-1, Gipson, Cahill, and Local 638 business agent Patrick Hill, discussed the problem that Gipson would have with his union, Cahill solved the problem and spelled out a plan that Gipson could use "to placate his bosses at Local 200," the prosecutors wrote. Both union locals belong to the United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry. (UA)

"Here's what you do," said Cahill. "Send a certified letter to him. 'I want to sign you.' Send a letter. Cover your ass. Get the letter. If you want to respond it — you don't have to — but I would respond to it. Say, 'Look, I've had conversations with them, I'm in disagreement with the UA.' Just send back and forth communications. Simple communication that covers your ass with them."

Hill was brought into the circle of corruption a week before Christmas of 2018, a day after Cahill told him he was going to meet "a crazy guy" and instructed him not to tell anyone about it.

Before Hill arrived, prosecutors Jason Swergold, Danielle Sassoon, Jun Xiang, Frank Balsamello, Marguerite Colson, and Laura de Oliveira wrote that Cahill told Employer-1 "his understanding of why they were meeting: "Fucking favors. I'm in the fucking favor business."

Then the wired-up plumbing contractor gave Cahill $2500. The employer added that he intended to also give Hill $2500, telling Cahill, "I'm going to do something for him too," explaining, "Why not? It's Christmas, man. The sooner I get to know him, you know? Start off everything in the right way. I've got work in his area now."

Cahill told Employer-1 that he would tell Hill to "leave (Employer-1) alone," the prosecutors wrote. He later told Hill that he had previously introduced Employer-1 to fellow business agent Christopher Kraft and had given him the same message: "In Nassau, you leave (Employer-1) alone."

During that session with Kraft, Cahill told the plumbing contractor he didn't blame him for not wanting to sign a union contract, and advised him to "just say you signed," the prosecutors wrote.

"Listen to me," Cahill told Employer-1, in another telling exchange, the prosecutors wrote, "If you become union, you'll have 12 fucking guys on your back." When Employer-1 responded that he was "not becoming union," the former president of the NY State Building & Trades Council, gave him this advice: "Tell everybody to go fuck themselves."

Cahill was not charged with committing crimes with Mileta (Michael Michael) Miljanic, the leader of a Serbian-American organized crime gang known as Grupo Amerika, or the Gambino family. But prosecutors say he boasted of close ties with Miljanic and two powerful family capos in the construction industry, Louis (Bo) Filippelli and Andrew (Sonny) Campos, and they assert that his claims were "not empty braggadocio."

During the investigation, the prosecutors wrote that Cahill was seen "meeting with Miljanic and Filippelli." Cahill was also "intercepted on wiretaps speaking with both men," they wrote, and was also spotted meeting with Campos, who appeared to give Cahill a cash payoff.

This happened a week after the government intercepted a telephone call, prosecutors wrote, "during which Miljanic told Cahill: 'I think, the other guy, he like to see you. Next week, Andrew.' On January 30, 2019, law enforcement surveilled Cahill" and saw him meet Campos in a Scarsdale restaurant.

"The men spoke briefly and Cahill returned to his vehicle, where he was observed removing a white envelope from the breast pocket of overcoat that he subsequently placed it into the console area of his vehicle," they wrote. "A short time later, Filippelli arrived and entered the restaurant."

Cahill was seen meeting with Campos and Filippelli again in May 2019, the prosecutors wrote, without supplying any further info about either meeting.

"Cahill also made clear" a year later, they wrote, that he still had "on-going" relationships with them, and "the authority to intervene in their activities," when he recounted "an incident in which violence nearly arose between Cahill's nephew, Miljanic, and Filippelli, over a project."

"Michael Michael goes on his own, and he's complaining about my nephew . . . to me and to Louis," Cahill told Employer-1 on March 13, 2020, according to an excerpt of a conversation between the duo that's in the filing.

"Then he goes into the crane business," Cahill continued. "So, I go meet Louis (Filippelli). He says, 'You know, your nephew.' I said, 'Whoa, stop right there. You're gonna continue this conversation, my nephew gets fucking complete (support.) None of youse fucking bother him. If you bother him, I’m gonna go away from youse, I won't talk to youse, I'm done."

Claiming that Cahill "almost singlehandedly corrupted a generation of newly elected Local 638 business agents and other officials" and "destroyed the reputation of a 100-year-old union" during the 22-month-long probe, the prosecutors told Judge McMahon that "a sentence of 60 months imprisonment is the lowest justifiable sentence" that he deserves.

Cahill had taken 21 cash payoffs totally $51,000 in addition to numerous "steak-and-wine" dinners, they wrote, as well as a "brand-name (Insinkerator) garbage disposal device and an ice machine" that he gave Employer-1 a picture of on May 15, 2020, and told him, "Take this with you in case you fucking forget. I’m waiting two fucking summers."

His attorney Sanford Talkin has asked that the 74-year-old Cahill, who has forfeited $249,000, including $200,000 the feds seized from a safety deposit box, receive a prison term below the 33-to-41 month sentence that he bargained for when he pleaded guilty last year.

Mikey Nose Could Be Going Back To The Big House For Two More Years

Mafia boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso may celebrate his next two birthdays behind bars. Not because of any crimes he may have committed, but because the Bonanno crime family chieftain, who was on strict post-prison supervised release following his 15-year bid for a mob rubout, made the boneheaded decision to attend a birthday party for a Colombo family capo in a public restaurant with four other convicted mobsters and mob associates.

Mancuso, 67, openly attended the birthday bash for wiseguy Vincent (Vinny Unions) Ricciardo on October 7, 2020 at Salvatore's of Elmont Pizzeria & Restaurant, Gang Land has learned.

Under post-release rules, the Mafia boss still had another year and a half to go before he could safely associate with any known ex-cons or organized crime figures.

Ricciardo 75th Birthday BashIn the picture at the right, Mikey Nose is the second from the left; birthday boy Vinny Unions, who was celebrating his 75th birthday, is second from the right, and Colombo mobster Michal Uvino, 57. is in the white shirt on the far right.

The next day, when he responded to a Happy Birthday call from Bonnano soldier Nicolo Valenti, Vinny Unions indicated that he had some sort of scheme in the works with the Bonnanos.

Ricciardo stated that he "had a good time" the night before at a "little party" they gave him, and then indicated that Mancuso was there by saying, "I was with your friend last night."
"Oh, nice, nice," said Valenti.
"Yeah," said Ricciardo, "We're supposed to know something today or tomorrow uh, when we can start that thing. Cause so far, so good."
"You let me know pal," said Valenti.

Colombo family associate Vito (Love) Cortesiano, 45, and Bonanno gangsters David DelFranco, 51, and Joseph Russo, 61, round out the rest of the "little party" celebrants at Salvatore's of Elmont.

Mancuso was seen meeting the Colombo duo many times between August of 2020 and July of 2021, but the feds held back charging Mikey Nose with a VOSR in order to keep as many details about the racketeering case they made against the Colombo hierarchy under wraps as long as they could. He was charged with a VOSR in March of 2022, two days before his three year term of supervise released would end.

During the 14 months that the VOSR has been pending, Mancuso and the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office have been trying to resolve the case with a plea deal.

But Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis has questioned why prosecutors and the U.S. Probation Department in Brooklyn, which had initially charged Mikey Nose with meeting with the ex-cons while acting as the Bonanno family boss, had agreed to accept a guilty plea of one ex-con for associating with another ex-com.

"Are you playing me?" the judge stated at the last session when told about the plea deal that the feds had agreed to accept. Garaufis angrily ordered Probation chief Robert Capers to testify about the reasons for downgrading the charges. But Capers must have pulled rank, and was able to duck.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Michael Gibaldi let it all hang out at a full blown hearing. He used pictures of Mancuso attending Ricciardo's birthday party, and shots of him at another one in the Bronx on October 24, 2020, along with the testimony of FBI agent Jarryd Butler and Mancuso's probation officer Michael Nicholson in an effort to make the case that the Mafia boss was guilty of a VOSR.

As Mancuso's girlfriend Laura Keller sat in the first row and listened intently, Nicholson testified that he scotched a "Three's Company" situation when Mancuso had told him that he had was going to move in with her. At the time, Uvino, who is a childhood friend of Keller's, was living in a basement apartment of her home, and Nicholson stated he informed the probationer that if he wanted to move in with Keller, Uvino would have to move out.

He did. It's unclear exactly when Mancuso moved in with Keller, but the problem disappeared on September 14, 2021, when Uvino was arrested and detained as a danger to the community. Since then, the Colombo wiseguy has had free room and board in Brooklyn at the Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial along with Ricciardo and three other Colombo mobsters on racketeering charges that are slated to begin in October.

Garaufis reserved a decision on the case. He ordered the feds to submit their closing arguments by May 27 and ordered the defense to file theirs two weeks later. The sentencing guidelines for the charge calls for a sentence between five and 11 months, but Mancuso could be sent back to prison for up to two years if Garaufis finds him guilty.

Denied Compassion For Himself, He Seeks It For His Ailing Dad

He's served more than 18 years behind bars for a failed mob rubout that he insists he had nothing to do with, and he should be able to do ten more months before he gets placed in a halfway house. But by then it may be too late for Michael (Mikey Spat) Spataro to help care for his 89-year-old dad, a mentally failing and cancer-ridden former professional boxer.

So rather than argue once more that he's been wrongly convicted — a claim that's been repeatedly rejected by both the feds and the courts, despite ample evidence of his innocence — Spataro is now seeking a compassionate release to allow him to take care of his dad, stating there is no one else around who can do it.

Judges have wide discretion to determine "extraordinary and compelling" reasons to grant a compassionate release, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission has proposed "an expansion of the 'Family Circumstances' category for cases where a defendant's parent is incapacitated and the defendant would be the only available caregiver for the parent," says attorney Jeremy Iandolo.

Noting that "Spataro's aging father's health has been on a rapid decline," Iandolo asked Brooklyn Federal Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall two weeks ago to ignore the argument by assistant U.S. attorney Andrew Reich to reject Spataro's motion for compassion. The prosecutor had cited an Ohio federal court ruling to back up the government's contention.

That was too long a legal stretch, argued Iandolo, "when there are cases on point in this circuit."

In one case, the lawyer wrote, "the Second Circuit found that 'the need to care for one's aging parent may in certain circumstances, warrant a finding that an extraordinary and compelling reason exists'" for a compassionate release. Another Second Circuit case, Iandolo wrote, "stand(s) for the position that a family member's poor health is recognized as an extraordinary and compelling circumstance."

Spat's dad boxed professionally as Mickey Spataro, according to an old Daily News clipping that Gang Land found. His dad, who laced up his gloves a dozen times in Madison Square Garden, "wasn't a big puncher," according to a 2017 online piece about him by writer Bob Ingram. "But he was clever and had heart and guile" and "worked his ass off at his trade," Ingram wrote. Boxer Mickey Spataro compiled a 25-5-3 record from 1951 to 1958, which was interrupted in 1953 when he was drafted and served two years in Korea.

These days, however, he is throwing no punches, and is deteriorating steadily, the lawyer wrote. That should be extraordinary and compelling reasons for the son's release, Iandolo said.

"Spataro is the only individual capable and available to assist his frail father," Iandolo wrote, "as Spataro’s brother lives nearly six hours away, attends to his own family needs" and "cannot relocate to the New York metropolitan area to" care for their father.

The elder Spataro recently underwent chemotherapy. He lives with his 78-year-old brother Ron, who wrote Judge Dearcy Hall that he is "unable to provide (his brother) "all the physical assistance he needs.

If Mikey Spat were released, Iandolo noted, his son would administer "a well-defined medical plan" for his father in New York under the care of "the best doctors in the world."

Iandolo cited the words that two other federal judges have uttered about aspects of the 19-year-old case in a bid to convince DeArcy Hall to issue a compassionate release for Spataro, who was convicted in 2006 of conspiring to kill mob capo Joseph (Joe Camp) Campanella in 2001.

He cited the words of jurist Joanna Seybert that slammed mob associate Giovanni (John the Barber) Floridia, the government witness against Spataro, as someone who should be charged with perjury for his testimony at a related trial, at which top Colombo mobsters Alphonse Persico and John (Jackie) DeRoss were acquitted in 2007 of ordering the killing of Campanella.

Before the verdict, in a discussion about the instructions to the jury, Seybert stated, "There's a number of things that we have during the course of this trial for the government to consider prosecuting Mr. Floridia . . . on the perjury charge."

After the acquittal, the government dropped the charges against a DeRoss nephew, who like Spataro, had been charged with being a messenger between the top mobsters and the hit team in the shooting.

In 2009, after trial judge Sterling Johnson reduced Mikey Spat's sentence to 24 years, the term he is still serving, Spataro asked the judge who he conspired with, since no one else was guilty of the crime.

"I hope someone can advise me what my new alleged role is, now that I have been resentenced for a role that doesn't exist, according to my accusers," said Spataro, according to the transcript.

"Your conviction has been affirmed on everything with the exception of Count 3," Johnson replied. "And I have addressed that issue, and I've resentenced you to 120 months. So that is the only issue."

But Spataro pressed the Judge: "My role? I'm just curious to what my role is now. I was alleged to be a messenger, now that the government cut that role off, what is it now?"

"I don't know," said Johnson.

[NYNighthawk]

There's no birthday pictures

[TommyGambino]

How the fuck is he a boss, genuinely sounds retarded

[CornerBoy]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

[outfit guy]

Thanks for posting. Again, JC running the same old stories over and over. He just doesn't want to move from his couch.

[Tonyd621]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

[Tonyd621]

prosecutors "Jason Swergold, Danielle Sassoon, Jun Xiang, Frank Balsamello, Marguerite Colson, and Laura de Oliveira..."
How many f*cking prosecutors do you need? To me this is not in the interest of justice. This is them using a trivial case as a stepping stone to promote themselves in the media when they convict "mobsters" on Rico and put it in their bio to get a $500k/yr job at a private law firm like Mitra Hormozi did.
When you wake up this morning and think the arrest of James Cahill and these others make your community a safer place-you need to get your head examined

[TSNYC]

I get impression they thought there was gonna be a lot more out of this Cahill case. Guy clearly fucked up, but were not talking hundreds of thousands of dollars … this case also dragged on forever. The rumors were Michael the Serbian guy, Filipelli, and his crew would all get charged as a result of this case and still nothing.

[JohnnyS]

I just posted some Cahill documents if anyone is interested. viewtopic.php?f=44&p=261494#p261494

Exhibit F of the transcripts is interesting. Looks like they were talking about Anthony and Caesar Gurino before Cahill brings up Gotti. Danny Fama and Ronald Ferrari also name dropped.

[NorthBuffalo]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

These labor scams have big impacts on the rest of us - not to mention a lot of hard working guys who do the right thing. There aren't many left like this Cahill who are senior guys with decades of union involvement still openly meeting with mob guys - they should get stiffer sentences than they do in my view.

[Little_Al1991]

Thanks for posting. Again, JC running the same old stories over and over. He just doesn't want to move from his couch.

He’s still the best source we have.It’s difficult for Capeci now but he’s trying.

[Tonyd621]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

These labor scams have big impacts on the rest of us - not to mention a lot of hard working guys who do the right thing. There aren't many left like this Cahill who are senior guys with decades of union involvement still openly meeting with mob guys - they should get stiffer sentences than they do in my view.

I been in a union since I was 18. I'm in my 30s now. My father has been in the same for over 30 years. Pay for journeymen just jncreased this month exceeded the inflation rate. We get great health benefits if you work enough in the quarter and dues are only 35/month. And if a job gets slow you go to the hall and see if they can put you on another one. And if you need to file unemployment the process is streamlined if you are in a union. You do not have to show documentation you been looking for work to maintain your benefits. Never has the mobs way of doing business affected the union members ability to earn a living. There is always side deals going on. Contractors put the employees health benefits in escrow and save it till they have to pay them at the last minute. Cutting deals for non union contractors to join the union happens. The bid rigging is done by the govt. The job goes to a minority owned business (African American, woman whatever), regardless of ability to do the job and pay. At least when the mob was around you had real companies doing real work.
Can you tell me why you think they have big impacts on the rest of us? Right now I disagree, but maybe you have some knowledge to drop on me and prove me wrong. Payoffs exist but I don't know how that trickles down to the workers because after you build a relationship with a contractor you no longer need payoffs and your both working together whether it's legitimate or cooking the books type stuff. Lol

[NorthBuffalo]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

These labor scams have big impacts on the rest of us - not to mention a lot of hard working guys who do the right thing. There aren't many left like this Cahill who are senior guys with decades of union involvement still openly meeting with mob guys - they should get stiffer sentences than they do in my view.

I been in a union since I was 18. I'm in my 30s now. My father has been in the same for over 30 years. Pay for journeymen just jncreased this month exceeded the inflation rate. We get great health benefits if you work enough in the quarter and dues are only 35/month. And if a job gets slow you go to the hall and see if they can put you on another one. And if you need to file unemployment the process is streamlined if you are in a union. You do not have to show documentation you been looking for work to maintain your benefits. Never has the mobs way of doing business affected the union members ability to earn a living. There is always side deals going on. Contractors put the employees health benefits in escrow and save it till they have to pay them at the last minute. Cutting deals for non union contractors to join the union happens. The bid rigging is done by the govt. The job goes to a minority owned business (African American, woman whatever), regardless of ability to do the job and pay. At least when the mob was around you had real companies doing real work.
Can you tell me why you think they have big impacts on the rest of us? Right now I disagree, but maybe you have some knowledge to drop on me and prove me wrong. Payoffs exist but I don't know how that trickles down to the workers because after you build a relationship with a contractor you no longer need payoffs and your both working together whether it's legitimate or cooking the books type stuff. Lol

Are you blind? This asshole Cahill pocketed bribes and made his fucking guys work jobs without the common safety standards on most jobs. Nearly $200K in bribes in the short time they investigated him. He's been there decades - the guy owns yachts and summer cottages. He then took bribes to keep his guys away from jobs. Talk to anyone in Local 638 and Plumbers Union Local 200 - this asshole pocketed THEIR money.

And if you think your benefits are too good and you get paid too high - be a patriot and quit

[Tonyd621]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

These labor scams have big impacts on the rest of us - not to mention a lot of hard working guys who do the right thing. There aren't many left like this Cahill who are senior guys with decades of union involvement still openly meeting with mob guys - they should get stiffer sentences than they do in my view.

I been in a union since I was 18. I'm in my 30s now. My father has been in the same for over 30 years. Pay for journeymen just jncreased this month exceeded the inflation rate. We get great health benefits if you work enough in the quarter and dues are only 35/month. And if a job gets slow you go to the hall and see if they can put you on another one. And if you need to file unemployment the process is streamlined if you are in a union. You do not have to show documentation you been looking for work to maintain your benefits. Never has the mobs way of doing business affected the union members ability to earn a living. There is always side deals going on. Contractors put the employees health benefits in escrow and save it till they have to pay them at the last minute. Cutting deals for non union contractors to join the union happens. The bid rigging is done by the govt. The job goes to a minority owned business (African American, woman whatever), regardless of ability to do the job and pay. At least when the mob was around you had real companies doing real work.
Can you tell me why you think they have big impacts on the rest of us? Right now I disagree, but maybe you have some knowledge to drop on me and prove me wrong. Payoffs exist but I don't know how that trickles down to the workers because after you build a relationship with a contractor you no longer need payoffs and your both working together whether it's legitimate or cooking the books type stuff. Lol

Are you blind? This asshole Cahill pocketed bribes and made his fucking guys work jobs without the common safety standards on most jobs. Nearly $200K in bribes in the short time they investigated him. He's been there decades - the guy owns yachts and summer cottages. He then took bribes to keep his guys away from jobs. Talk to anyone in Local 638 and Plumbers Union Local 200 - this asshole pocketed THEIR money.

And if you think your benefits are too good and you get paid too high - be a patriot and quit

I don't think I said too good. I was implying if there is corruption it's not reflected in the workers pay. You mean like OSHA? Cmon now don't make me laugh. How has the "labor scam" impacted you? Made you work unsafe? That's what your saying? And how are guys doing the right thing impacted? That's more of a thing that bothers you then anything else.

[NorthBuffalo]

observations

1. MM is a good candidate for a helmet and accompanying drool cup- whose only discernable mob related talent is propensity for violence
2. That Cahill shit is for 51K and some dinners! millions of dollars spent by a govt that is on the brink of insolvency.Fucking waste.
3. Spats is an asshole but in this case, I think he should've been absolved a long time ago or. He has done bad shit in his life though he should be free in thsi particular matter.

I agree with #2, especially. "Brand name garbage disposal" and what an ice machine... really that's what the govt is reduced too. More over Cahill, it seems is adamant about protecting his nephew. The govt putting that in there; well theh might as well indicted themselves because when it comes to nepotism our govt is the worst.

These labor scams have big impacts on the rest of us - not to mention a lot of hard working guys who do the right thing. There aren't many left like this Cahill who are senior guys with decades of union involvement still openly meeting with mob guys - they should get stiffer sentences than they do in my view.

I been in a union since I was 18. I'm in my 30s now. My father has been in the same for over 30 years. Pay for journeymen just jncreased this month exceeded the inflation rate. We get great health benefits if you work enough in the quarter and dues are only 35/month. And if a job gets slow you go to the hall and see if they can put you on another one. And if you need to file unemployment the process is streamlined if you are in a union. You do not have to show documentation you been looking for work to maintain your benefits. Never has the mobs way of doing business affected the union members ability to earn a living. There is always side deals going on. Contractors put the employees health benefits in escrow and save it till they have to pay them at the last minute. Cutting deals for non union contractors to join the union happens. The bid rigging is done by the govt. The job goes to a minority owned business (African American, woman whatever), regardless of ability to do the job and pay. At least when the mob was around you had real companies doing real work.
Can you tell me why you think they have big impacts on the rest of us? Right now I disagree, but maybe you have some knowledge to drop on me and prove me wrong. Payoffs exist but I don't know how that trickles down to the workers because after you build a relationship with a contractor you no longer need payoffs and your both working together whether it's legitimate or cooking the books type stuff. Lol

Are you blind? This asshole Cahill pocketed bribes and made his fucking guys work jobs without the common safety standards on most jobs. Nearly $200K in bribes in the short time they investigated him. He's been there decades - the guy owns yachts and summer cottages. He then took bribes to keep his guys away from jobs. Talk to anyone in Local 638 and Plumbers Union Local 200 - this asshole pocketed THEIR money.

And if you think your benefits are too good and you get paid too high - be a patriot and quit

I don't think I said too good. I was implying if there is corruption it's not reflected in the workers pay. You mean like OSHA? Cmon now don't make me laugh. How has the "labor scam" impacted you? Made you work unsafe? That's what your saying? And how are guys doing the right thing impacted? That's more of a thing that bothers you then anything else.

Yeah I just don't get the implication unless your a mob fanboy. If someone uses my labor to enrich themselves, fuck them. Black and White. I've known multiple guys over the years who've been hurt on the job - shit that can be prevented bc someone at the top took a bribe. Someone cut a corner and paid to do it. Construction accidents can impair you FOR LIFE. Try living decades on disability. OSHA can be a headache, but I trust them to keep my guys safe over fucking Fat Angelo