Although Rome Aloise was found guilty on all three counts on October 7, he continues to draw $300,000+ in Teamster salaries as he awaits his sentencing hearing. Now, that sentencing hearing has been postponed from November 12 until December 3.

Aloise is an International VP and the head of Northern California Joint Council 7, and the “creator of the Vairma slate” according to his attorney.

After the October 7 verdict issued by Judge Barbara Jones, the Independent Review Officer, Aloise disappeared from view. His Facebook page was closed. His Rome Aloise Hearing page was scrubbed clean. His bloviating for the Vairma slate and attacks on TDU have vanished. 

But if he can hang around a month longer, doing little and getting paid much, why not? So he and his attorney (who is also the attorney for the Vairma slate) wrangled yet another delay to keep him on the members’ payroll a while longer. After the Dec. 3 hearing, it’s a safe bet that Aloise and his attorneys will ask for another delay to submit more briefs. 

The delays in the Aloise case can undermine confidence in the anti-corruption program of our union. His most recent charges were filed on February 14, 2020, nearly two years ago. It was rather clear from the start that Aloise would be given the boot, but nearly two years later, he’s still in office.

Judge Jones found Aloise guilty of secretly running Local 853 and Joint Council 7 while he was suspended from union office for taking gifts from employers, negotiating a sham contract, and illegally using union resources to rig a local union election. 

One thing he attempted to direct from behind the scenes was to have the Teamsters to set up a company-funded fake union for Uber and Lyft drivers that would funnel money to the Teamsters Union. He promised to “meet with Hoffa to get him on board” with this plan.

Aloise was also found guilty of threatening and retaliating against members. He even “threatened and coerced a charitable organization dedicated to protecting workers’ rights in an effort to exact retribution and cause harm to a fellow Teamster,” as Judge Jones noted.

The December 3 hearing should be open to members. We will make the details known when they are available.