Case: 1:17-cv-08986 Document #: 1 Filed: 12/14/17 Page 1 of 7 PageID #:1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION

ALISTAIR GREENIDGE, DAVID GARCIA, )

KEVIN MALEY, TRACY SHORTER, )
GLORIA ALVAREZ, MARTHA WEBB, )
PAMELA STANO, CHRISTINE KOSINSKI, )
CARA J. ZEDNIK, JAIME BURANDT, LAURIE )
WALLENBERG, KIM ULLOA, and LINDA VECE, )
)
Plaintiffs, )
V. )
) Case No.
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, )
(“SEIU”), DENISE POLOYAC, and )
DIAN PALMER, Individually and as )
Co-Trustees of SERVICE EMPLOYEES )
INTERNATIONAL UNION, LOCAL #73, and )
MARY KAY HENRY, Individually and as )
PRESIDENT OF SEIU, )
Defendants. )

COMPLAINT

NOW COME PLAINTIFFS, ALISTAIR GREENIDGE, DAVID GARCIA, KEVIN

MALEY, TRACY SHORTER, GLORIA ALVAREZ, MARTHA WEBB, PAMELA STANO,

CHRISTINE KOSINSKI, CARA J. ZEDNICK, JAIME BURANDT, LAURIE

WALLENBERG, KIM ULLOA, and LINDA VECE, by and through their attorneys, MELISSA

CASEY, of the MPC LAW GROUP, and GLEN J. DUNN, JR., of GLEN J. DUNN &

ASSOCIATES, LTD., and hereby bring this Complaint in Equity seeking immediate injunctive

relief. Specifically, plaintiffs are seeking a Court Order requiring that the democratic process be

upheld in that the current Trusteeship should terminate as mandated on February 3, 2018, that the

SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, LOCAL #73, (hereinafter, “Local 73”)

be restored to self-governance, that the process to hold elections be commenced immediately,

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and that this Honorable Court mandate that the Department of Labor oversee these elections to

ensure non-biased, fair, impartial, Constitutional and democratic processes be maintained

throughout. Plaintiffs further state:

I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

1. This is an action for injunctive and other relief to compel Defendants to terminate the

Trusteeship of a local labor union. This Court has jurisdiction of this action under Section 304(a)

of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended (“LMRDA”), 29

U.S.C. section 464(c), which mandates that “after the expiration of eighteen months, the

Trusteeship shall be presumed invalid…and its discontinuance shall be decreed [by a federal

district court].”

2. Venue exists pursuant to Section 304(b) of the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. 464(b).

II. PARTIES

3. Plaintiffs are all members in good standing of the SERVICE EMPLOYEES

INTERNATIONAL UNION, LOCAL, #73 (hereinafter “Local 73”), a labor union affiliated with

the Defendant, SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION (hereinafter “SEIU”).

4. The Local and SEIU are labor organizations engaged in industries affecting commerce

within the meaning of Section 3 of the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. Section 402. Local 73 maintains its

principal office at 300 South Ashland, Chicago, which is within this judicial district. Duly

authorized officers and/or agents of the SEIU are engaged in conducting the affairs of the

Trusteeship of Local 73 within this judicial district.

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5. Defendant, SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, is a national labor

union.

6. Defendant, MARY KAY HENRY, is the President of SEIU.

7. Defendants, DENISE POLOYAC and DIANE PALMER, are the current co-Trustees of

Local 73, assigned to the position by HENRY.

III. FACTS

8. On or about August 3, 2016, The Local was taken into Trusteeship by the International

Union for the alleged inability of the then President, Christine Boardman, to maintain the

democratic process during a membership meeting.

9. Pursuant to Section 464(c) of the LMRDA, 29 USC Section 464(c), the Trusteeship

imposed upon Local 73 is presumed invalid after eighteen months, which would be on and after

February 3, 2018.

10. In order to terminate the Trusteeship and restore control of Local 73 to the local union

membership, an election of local union officers and delegates must be commenced so that local

elected officers are in place to assume control of their union prior to February 3, 2018, when the

Trusteeship terminates.

11. Under Article V of the SEIU International Constitution and Bylaws, both the SEIU and

Local 73 are charged with the responsibility of conducting the elections of officers.

12. Article XV, Section 2 of the SEIU International Constitution and Bylaws, Local 73 is

charged with conducting elections under its own Constitution and Bylaws.

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13. The SEIU International Constitution and Bylaws, Article V “Election of Officers”

Section 1 provides that all nominations for officers shall be made in open convention and

elections shall be by roll call where there is more than one candidate for any office. Any

member wishing to submit an election protest must file such protest within fifteen (15) days after

the convention. The International President shall endeavor to have a hearing within thirty (30)

days following the protest and attempt to render his or her decision within thirty (30) days

thereafter. Within fifteen (15) of the action of the International President, a petition for review

may be filed with the International Executive Board.”

14. Under Article X of the SEIU Local 73 Constitution and Bylaws, “Nominations and

Elections,” Section 1, “nominations for officers shall take place at the regular membership

meeting and at least fifteen (15) days notice shall be given of the time and place of the meeting

and that such nominations shall take place.”

15. Article X, Section 2, of the SEIU Local 73 Constitution and Bylaws then states that

“nominations shall be made in writing, designating the name of the person nominated, the office

for which nominated, and must be signed by at least three (3%) percent of the membership in

good standing (based on the membership reported in the previous December) with at least ten

(10) signatures from each of the four (4) separate bargaining units.”

16. Article X of the SEIU Local 73 Constitution and Bylaws also provides that elections shall

take place “no more than sixty (60) nor less than thirty (30) days following the close of

nominations.” The ballots containing the officers to be elected shall be printed in the following

order:

(1) President
(2) Secretary-Treasurer

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(3) Five (5) Vice-Presidents

(4) Recording Secretary
(5) Executive Board Members (one hundred (100) to be elected).

17. Section 5 of Article X of the SEIU Local Constitution and Bylaws provides that appeals

of election results must be made to the Executive Board with seven (7) days of the closing of the

ballot and that the Board shall issue a decision on the appeal within fourteen (14) days after

receiving the appeal.

18. In order to conduct a fair and orderly election, allow a reasonable period of time to

resolve pre-election and post-election challenges and permit an orderly transfer of control of

Local 73 from SEIU to the members of Local 73, and provide the appropriate notice of

candidates, election procedures and preparations should have already commenced.

19. Defendants have failed and refused to schedule a membership meeting of Local 73, have

failed to seek nominations for a ballot and have generally failed to comply with the election

procedures necessary in order to return control of Local 73 to its members following the

February 3, 2018 termination of the Trusteeship.

20. The general membership meeting scheduled for December 16, 2017 was cancelled

unilaterally without cause by Trustee Poloyac, and this was communicated to the members via an

email from Martha Gallegos, the Office and Special Project Manager for Local #73 sent on

December 12, 2017. See copy of email, attached hereto as Exhibit A.

21. At the last general membership meeting on September 23, 2017, a nomination from a

member on the floor was made to commence elections, it was properly seconded by another

member, yet Trustee POLOYAC unilaterally rejected the Motion and declared, contrary to

previous representations, that the meeting was not a “general membership meeting.”

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22. Defendants have not acted in any way indicative of an intent to comply with the terms of

the LMRDA and its own Constitution and Bylaws to limit the term of the Trusteeship to eighteen

months.

23. The Plaintiffs have no adequate remedy at law.

24. The Plaintiffs and the entire general membership of the Local 73 will suffer irreparable

harm if the Defendants are not immediately compelled to hold elections for Officers and

executive Board Members.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs respectfully request this Honorable Court to enter judgment and

appropriate preliminary and permanent injunctive relief in favor of Plaintiffs as follows:

1) Declare that the August 3, 2017 Trusteeship of the Local 73 may not be lawfully

maintained after February 3, 2018;

2) Dissolve the Trusteeship effective February 3, 2018:

3) Order Defendants to implement election procedures within a time period that permits

Local 73 officers to be installed on or before February 3, 2018, which would mean

requiring the immediate submission of nominations, holding a general membership

meeting on or before January 4, and providing the requisite fifteen (15) days notice to all

members of the time and place of the membership meeting (which would be by

December 21, 2017;

4) Oversee the elections to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and the democratic

process;

5) Award in favor of Plaintiffs and against Defendants, jointly and severally, the costs,

expenses and attorneys’ fees incurred in bringing this action;

6) Award such other and further relief as this Honorable court deems proper and just.

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Respectfully submitted,

By:

/s/ Melissa P. Casey_______________

Melissa P. Casey

/s/ Glen J. Dunn, Jr._________________

Glen J. Dunn, Jr.

Glen J. Dunn, Jr.

Glen J. Dunn & Associates, Ltd.
221 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1414
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 546-5056
(312) 546-5058
[email protected]

Melissa P. Casey
MPC Law Group
221 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1414
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 399-2528
[email protected]

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-------- Original message --------

From: Martha Gallegos <[email protected]>
Date: 12/12/17 11:10 AM (GMT-06:00)
To:
Subject: Cancelled- Membership Meeting 12/16

Good morning,

We will not have a membership meeting on Saturday, December 16th. As soon as we have a new date it will
be sent out.

Martha Gallegos
Office & Special Project Manager
SEIU Local 73
300 S. Ashland Ave, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 588-7496
[email protected]<mailto:mg [email protected]>