Hearing Officer Secretary Ray Marshall To Set Additional Date(s) for United Healthcare Workers-West Trusteeship Hearing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Published 5:09 AM Eastern - Sunday, September 28, 2008

SAN MATEO, CA -- In order to ensure a full and fair process, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall, the outside hearing officer in the proposed trusteeship of United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW-W), today announced that he will be issuing a notice of additional hearing date(s) in this matter since parties were unable to conclude their presentations over the original hearing period.  The additional hearings will be held some time after November 4.

Marshall's announcement follows two days of hearings in which the International President's representatives presented the case for trusteeship and UHW-W began its response.  Among other issues, UHW-W leaders face charges that they "appear to have engaged in financial malpractice and a series of misrepresentations to their members and to the International Union involving expenditures of millions of dollars of union treasury monies."  The extended hearing time will provide additional time for presentations by the parties.

On Wednesday, Secretary Marshall laid out a post hearing process that will provide a 30-day period in which the parties may submit additional comments to the hearing record.  During this period, members who did not have a chance to give their views will also be able to submit written statements for the record.

Secretary Marshall's report, which had not been expected before the November election, will now be delivered to the International President sometime later.  Upon receipt of the report, President Andy Stern will ask the International Executive Board to make the final determination on whether to impose a trusteeship.

The process set forth by Secretary Marshall follows long-established practices designed to provide accountability for members and a fair hearing for the parties involved.

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