Corrupt Teamster Vice President Rome Aloise faces new charges for racketeering, retaliation, and knowingly bringing harm to a Teamster.  His days as a Teamster are numbered.

International Vice President Rome Aloise returned from a two-year suspension from all union offices in December. He immediately began gobbling up titles and multiple salaries at the local, Joint Council, and International Union level. 

But Aloise’s days of feasting at the Teamster trough are nearing the end. Instead of running for General President, Aloise will soon be run out of the union—and he has no one to blame but himself.

A new report from the Independent Investigations Officer (IIO) charges Aloise with racketeering, retaliation, knowingly bringing harm to a fellow Teamster, and running Teamster affiliates while suspended from Teamster office. 

Aloise was found guilty in 2017 of taking employer payoffs, negotiating sham contracts, and retaliating against union members. 

Even Rome admitted his surprise that he was only suspended from union office, instead of receiving a lifetime ban from the Teamsters. 

The light punishment only emboldened Aloise. 

Controlling the Union While Suspended

The new charges reveal Aloise’s “de facto control” of Local 853 and repeated interference in union affairs at the local union, Joint Council, and International Union levels. 

Aloise even continued his “close relationship with the highest levels of management at Southern Wine & Spirits,” the very employer whose illegal gifts helped get Aloise suspended in the first place.

These were not minor infractions, but “a pattern of misconduct and utter contempt design to circumvent the restrictions placed upon him,” the report states.

Threats & Retaliation

Aloise is charged with engaging in “an appalling pattern of intimidation, threats and retaliation against perceived political enemies.” 

Rome was especially obsessed with Seattle Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks, who coveted Aloise’s position as International Union Vice President.

Aloise even threatened to “ruin” a labor-related non-profit in San Francisco, just for planning to give Hicks an honorary award. 

The charges detail how Aloise called the head of the nonprofit at his home and threatened to financially ruin the non-profit by instructing Teamster locals to boycott the fundraising event if the award to Hicks was not withdrawn.

It worked. The nonprofit caved and gave an award to a friend of Rome’s instead. Attendance and fundraising dropped by nearly half of what was expected. 

Rome’s Last Days

The IBT General Executive Board will review the charges, and either hold a hearing and issue a decision on Aloise, or punt the matter to the Independent Review Officer, judge Barbara Jones.  Judge Jones has the final say either way. 

The process will play out in the coming weeks. One thing is certain. Rome Aloise won’t be running in 2021. His days as a Teamster are numbered.

Aloise texted his friends and blamed TDU for his fate. (The corrupt never fail to find someone else to blame.) The IIO who issued the charges was appointed to the IRB by Hoffa. 

TDU is proud of the role we play as our union’s watchdog and as a grassroots movement to build a strong, democratic Teamsters Union.