Rome Aloise is like the cat with nine lives—but eventually, the cat gets to number nine. Is Aloise closing in?

Image: US Department of Labor

Aloise faces charges that will likely end his Teamster career. But he’s still around, pulling the strings behind the scenes of the Hoffa-successor slate. 

Aloise is Hoffa’s Western VP, who likes to call himself the “most powerful Teamster.”  Steve Vairma is a pal of Rome’s and he’s named some of Aloise’s most loyal operatives as running mates.

The same attorney that represents Vairma represents Aloise. With no credible defense, they have resorted to delay tactics to put off a hearing on charges that are now six months old.

Two weeks ago the Hoffa administration finally held a hearing on Aloise’s charges. But once again, they delayed the outcome after Aloise and Vairma Slate attorney Patrick Szymanski got more time to file yet more papers.

The serious charges against Aloise were detailed in an eight-page report in the Teamster Magazine, including racketeering, retaliation and intimidation of members, and running Teamster affiliates while Aloise was suspended from office for his previous offenses. 

Aloise was previously found guilty of taking illegal gifts from employers he was bargaining with, self-dealing, and rigging a Teamster local election.

Aloise has a long history of freely breaking the law and election rules. He has set the all-time record for Election Supervisor guilty-decisions, along with fines and warnings.

Whatever the Hoffa administration and Aloise’s attorneys cook up as a decision on the charges, this fall the issue will go to the Independent Review Officer (IRO), Judge Barbara Jones.  She will make the final decision and decide the penalty. 

In October 2017 she found Aloise guilty on all charges but then imposed only a two-year suspension from union office.  We will see if she is as generous to him this time.