NYC labor union officials charged in bribery probe

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j25avy4bCkvw81Z7TqAji29EKTKgD99T0GU00

By TOM HAYS (AP) – 1 day ago

NEW YORK — The leader of a powerful labor union that recently endorsed Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his re-election campaign was charged Wednesday with taking bribes from contractors who were scheming to cut labor costs.

Michael Forde, executive secretary-treasurer of the New York City District Council of Carpenters and Joiners, surrendered to the FBI Wednesday to face racketeering, conspiracy and other charges.

Nine other men — seven lower-ranking union officials, a construction contractor and a trade group representative — also were named in an indictment in federal court in Manhattan. There was no immediate response to a telephone message left Wednesday with Forde's attorney.

Prosecutors said that in exchange for about $1 million in bribes, the union leadership let contractors pay workers with cash at below-union rate wages and employ nonunion and undocumented laborers. The defendants concealed the conspiracy by falsifying and destroying paperwork meant to keep the jobs honest, authorities said.

The men "turned a blind eye on contractors' schemes to cheat the rank-and-file," said Joseph Demarest, head of the FBI's New York office. "Motivated by self-interest, they sold out the interests of their members."

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