Troy Shantz
A Sarnia union leader has been relieved of his job.
Mike Maitland, former business manager of LiUNA, Local 1089, was removed from office following an internal investigation and special hearing, regional spokesperson Victoria Mancinelli confirmed last week.
“In order to protect the Local Union as an institution, restore democratic procedures, assure the effective performance of collective bargaining obligations, and protect the rights of LiUNA Local 1089 Members, the Regional Office will be imposing supervision of Local Union 1089 with the dismantling of its executive board,” she stated in an email to The Journal.
The hearing was held to adjudicate 11 allegations raised by six officers of the local union, and investigated by Assistant Regional Manager Tony Pietrangelo and an outside firm.
The 11 allegations, listed in a hearing notice to members in May, included various acts of financial impropriety, not allowing an auditor to do his duty, discrimination based on race, and threats of violence against political opponents.
Mancinelli declined to provide additional information and did not respond to requests to confirm which charges had been substantiated.
Maitland had been business manager of Local 1089 since June of 2009.
He made a number of improvements that benefitted the organization and its members, Mancinelli said. “His years of service are not to be minimized.”
But the complaints demonstrate Maitland “disturbingly ignored” the unions code of conduct, she added.
The local union, with offices at 1255 Confederation St., had about 1,200 members in 2019.