Communications Workers of America

• By: lvanderwoude
• March 23, 2019

March 21, 2019

TO: Members Of PPMWS/CWA

SUBJECT: Reasons For Recall/Suspension Of Dan Wasser

Today, the CWA Executive Board acted to prefer a recall petition against PPMWS Executive Officer Dan Wasser. In accordance with Article XXII, Section 7 of the CWA Constitution, the recall vote shall be held among members of the PPMWS. This election will take place in the near future, at a date to be determined.

The Executive Board also acted to suspend Executive Officer Wasser in accordance with Article XXI, Section 3 of the CWA Constitution. This provision of the Constitution allows an “Officer of the Union” or a “Member of the Executive Board” to be suspended if a petition for recall has been filed for alleged “misappropriating money or property of the Union.” The charges against Executive Officer Wasser did accuse him of misappropriation of union property, interests and funds. The exact charges can be viewed on the CWA website at:https://bit.ly/2Fnc5Kv

The Executive Board also clarified that the circumstances do not reflect upon any other sectors and their relationship with CWA.

Finally, the Executive Board also appointed District 2-13 Vice President Ed Mooney to serve in Executive Officer Wasser’s stead. Vice President Mooney will have full authority of the PPMWS Executive Officer and will be directed to secure the funds, property and interest of the PPMWS and its members.

CWA will endeavor to conduct this very important vote as soon as the logistics of conducting a vote of this nature can be worked out. I encourage all PPMWS members to educate themselves on the issues at hand and, when the time comes, to vote.

In Unity,

Christopher M. Shelton
President

CC: Executive Board

        CWA Staff

PPMWS HISTORY & SHELTON DISSCUSSIONS TIMELINE

As leaders, we need to lead by example and practice what we preach. If we don’t, how can we ask others to do what we aren’t willing to do ourselves. There are indisputable rights in the CWA/PPMWS Merger Agreement and, the directive to secure such rights when needed. These rights are further guaranteed under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (the “LMRDA”). Whereas, it has been long established that the overriding objective of the LMRDA, to promote union democracy, would be thwarted if at any time union members concluded they could not challenge the union's hierarchy. We all have a freedom of speech and just as importantly, when needed, a freedom to sue.This timeline, the commentaries, and related documents are being made available to everyone with the freedoms of speech and information at the forefront. Our members and the general public should demand complete openness from their leaders and should not shy away from exercising their rights or challenging anything they are told. Without the information to start our debate, we can be easily misdirected. People should always be able to question their leaders, whether in labor, government, or otherwise, and hold them accountable. These very principles are what the United States was created on.

When examining the items below, ask yourself who’s next; what Sector or what District. Will it be T & T; NABET; District 7 or District 4; the TNG or PHEW? Is it the overall goal to create “super districts,” so authority cannot be challenged and only held in a small group of hands, by right sizing? Diminish democracy between the leaders and the rank and file? All the while, making false claims or assertions to deflect the true motives - scheming in a Machiavellian way. These are some of the questions that we cannot shy away from or fear from expressing.

So here is the timeline. Please take the time to not only read it, but also read the associated documents. Resolution is always preferred over discord, and we have diligently worked to that end. Unfortunately, there has been no agreement reached and we must now enforce our rights. We truly wish that our deliberations would have been more productive, but we are merely reactionary to the very conditions we are presented with.

LINK TO PPMWS HISTORY AND SHELTON DISCUSSION TIMELINE: https://danwasser.com/

In Unity:

Dan Wasser, President PPMWS/CWA

3/22/2019 UPDATE:

EMAIL FROM DAN WASSER TO CWA/PPMWS LOCAL PRESIDENTS

Elizabeth Vanderwoude [email protected]

Mar 22 at 9:41 AM

Liz VanDerWoude, President

CWA Local 4250

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: Dan Wasser [email protected]

To: Dan Wasser [email protected]

Phone #870-776-9712

Sent: Friday, March 22, 2019, 05:12:54 AM CDT

Subject: PPMWS Suspension/Recall

All,

All of you should have received an email from CWA on the actions taken by the CWA Executive Board, at Chris Shelton’s behest, and me being suspended from my position. As all of you should also know, the law suit on the NPP was filed several months ago, and we are still waiting on a decision from the courts. I personally spoke with many of you on this NPP action, and I applaud the Laws and Finance Committee for taking such decisive action to protect the members’ and retirees’ rights on the NPP. With my suspension, this very lawsuit and the Merger Agreement that all of us were elected to defend is now at jeopardy. I am confident however, that the Laws Committee will diligently work to right this wrong and uphold all of our rights.

You should have also received a letter from me on the suit that was filed against CWA for their flagrant violation of our Merger Agreement. Marcia mailed this out to everyone Friday March 15th, and depending on the speed of the post office, you should have already received it. This fight has been going on since December 2017.

As many of you know, I frequently tell you that all officers of the union are protected against employer attacks for carrying out official union business. I also say that if you every experience an attack, to let me know immediately because I have zero tolerance for any employer attacking a union representative, and we would take decisive actions to protect your rights. Well, I practice what I preach.

When I came on staff I took an oath to protect all of you and protect our Merger Agreement. When you elected me as president that oath did not change. This was an oath on all attacks - internal or external. This oath is held very close to me, but it is also in our Bylaws and Merger Agreement.

Shelton has done everything he can to try and spin the facts, whether on the Union Printers Home, the NPP, or the dissolution of the PPMWS. He wants you to accept that I acted alone on all of this for selfish reasons. This is the farthest from the truth and I know you all with see through this. I, or the Laws Committee, did not act on anything without the proper legal guidance of all of our attorneys. Many of you know Sector Counsel Richard Rosenblatt; he has always been consulted on PPMWS actions, but we also hired other attorneys and professionals and moved very carefully in all actions. 

I have shared with all of you everything on the PPMWS through the years, and will continue to be an open book and share with you everything I know. I firmly believe that my suspension is nothing more than retaliation and I plan on defending my rights for doing my job - protecting the PPMWS members and the PPMWS Merger Agreement. Using PPMWS funds to defend the Merger Agreement and your rights were also vetted completely by attorneys, and they assured us that it is not a misappropriation and is within the PPMWS rights, though Shelton wants to categorize it as misappropriation.

I want to thank you for all your support but also ask for your continued support as we work through this. This is my personal email address since my CWA email address has been cancelled. Please feel free to email me any questions, comments or suggestions. You can also call me at 870-776-9712. Feel free to call the Laws Committee also; I’m sure they would love to hear your support. Thanks again and I look forward to our discussions.

Dan Wasser

-- 

Dan 
“If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.” 
~Jonathan Winters