Even with one foot out the door for racketeering, Rome Aloise is still retaliating against members and trying to rig Teamster elections: this time in Northern California Local 948.

Rome Aloise cannot stand independent voices or Teamster officers with their own ideas, especially in California. 

So when Aloise’s loyal supporter, Local 948 Secretary Treasurer Adam Ochoa, was narrowly defeated for re-election in December, it was only a matter of time before Aloise tried to overturn the members’ vote. 

Luis Diaz, who narrowly defeated Ochoa to lead the local, is an endorser of the O’Brien-Zuckerman slate. Ochoa is a loyal backer of Aloise and the Vairma Slate.

Aloise started his smear campaign before the election was even over, Aloise ranted on Facebook that, “TDU, OZ TDU Slate unethical attorneys and lying has-beens are supporting the opposition. Such a shame that outsiders are involved in the 948 election.”

Aloise’s rant was a made-up sham. TDU had no involvement in the Local 948 election. Neither did any unnamed “unethical attorneys.” The only outsider involved in the Local 948 vote was Aloise. 

Local 948 members, primarily cannery workers in the California Central Valley, simply voted for new leadership--and Aloise couldn’t stand it.     

As President of Joint Council 7, Alose directed Joint Council leaders and its attorney to overturn the election. That decision is now on hold, pending consideration by the International Union.

Local 948 elected IBT Convention delegates in the exact same election. The Election Supervisor certified the election, and issued a letter which noted that Ochoa failed to raise any of the alleged election-day behavior Election Supervisor’s staff who were present at the vote.

The Election Supervisor warned Joint Council 7 to take no action against the delegate election results. But the independent Election Supervisor has no authority over local union officer elections. 

Will the Hoffa administration and the IBT Legal Department do the right thing by letting the members’ vote stand? Or will they kow-tow to Aloise on his way out the door of union after being found guilty of racketeering and retaliating against members.