November 20, 2014: A jury in Boston yesterday convicted a former member of the Hoffa administration of racketeering and extortion. His “enforcer” was convicted also, and both will be sentenced to a federal prison term in February.
John Perry, who was Hoffa’s Trade Show National Director until the IRB and the feds removed Perry from the union, was convicted of multiple counts, along with Joseph “Jo Jo” Burhoe, Perry’s enforcer.
TDU members and other concerned trade show Teamsters, took a stand against Perry, who headed Boston Local 82, and fought for democratic reforms and against sweetheart contracts in their union ratified by phony votes. Perry and Burhoe responded with intimidation and violence, sending one member to the hospital. Members appealed to Hoffa for help, but he replied that he would do nothing about his appointee’s corruption and violence. That struggle is reported here.
In May 2011, TDU members’actions led the Independent Review Board (IRB) to throw Perry and Burhoe out of the Teamsters, after Hoffa tried to cover it up.
Burhoe then went to work for management. Hoffa then merged Local 82 into Local 25.
Perry and Burhoe were convicted yesterday after a seven-week trial.