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The Center for Union Facts emailed the following illuminating dispatch about union actions:
DRUG SMUGGLERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!
A common complaint about union officials is that they spend a lot of time protecting bad employees, which hurts morale and makes the company less productive. The Houston Chronicle reports this week that the National Treasury Employees Union saved the job of a U.S. Customs Inspector who is suspected of “taking more than $1 million in bribes while waving through more than 50 tons of drugs.”
Records show that the man has pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and conspiracy to import more than 1,000 kilos of marijuana. All told, the Chronicle reported, Lizandro Martinez was investigated 15 times, which resulted in letters of caution, multiple reprimands, mandatory counseling, three short suspensions and two attempts to fire him.
But, as the paper reported on testimony given at a hearing:
Customs suspended Martinez for 30 days in August 1993 for allegedly threatening to cut off the penis of a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. That punishment was reduced to 14 days after union arbitration. In May 1997, according to testimony, Customs fired Martinez after internal affairs officers investigated allegations that he had been spotted at a party attended by Mexican drug traffickers, made threatening calls to the home where his ex-wife lived and used a government vehicle to run personal errands. But the union got Martinez reinstated, with back pay, in April 1998.
The Chronicle continued:
Customs later tried firing Martinez again, accusing the inspector of being absent without leave, improperly copying Customs entry documents and allegedly forcing a teenage girl to partially disrobe even though female inspectors were available, a violation of search guidelines. But after union arbitration, his proposed dismissal was reduced to a 30-day suspension in March 2001 and he was transferred to Progreso under a “last chance” agreement.
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