
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 22, 1994                   TAG: 9411220112
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LOCAL SUES TEAMSTERS OVER REVOTE

A squabble among members of the local Teamsters union has resulted in a lawsuit against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, which earlier this month overturned the election results of Roanoke's local.

Led by its president, Jim Guynn, Local 171 has filed a federal suit asking a judge to prohibit the union's international governing body from requiring a new election of officers.

At issue is the voting procedure used in the local's October 1993 election, in which Guynn was chosen president. Also elected were Mike Atkinson, vice president; James Sherwood, secretary-treasurer, and Carlton Hodges, recording secretary.

Last October, according to the suit, the local mailed 1,250 election ballots to its members in Western Virginia. Of the 741 ballots returned, 161 of those did not contain a name and address, as required by the ballot's instructions bylaws, and three contained only initials.

"Thus, pursuant to the election rules and procedures adopted by Local 171, these 164 votes were deemed void and not counted," the suit said.

A losing slate of candidates, led by Berkley Newell who lost in his bid for president, contested the election results because the 164 ballots without a name were not counted.

The Teamsters Joint Council, based in Richmond, denied the protest Feb. 17, but Newell and three other local members appealed to the international governing body.

On Nov. 8, the international governing body reversed the joint council's decision and ordered the local to conduct a new election.

"Without placing any blame on [Local 171], it is clear that the method used did not effectively instruct the members how to vote," said the international board.

The lawsuit contends that the international group's action has "caused chaos, confusion and disruption" in the local's ability to reach collective bargaining agreements with companies that use its drivers. The local has contracts with Kroger Co., United Parcel Service and several trucking companies.

The suit also contends that it is "beyond mathematical certainty, or even likelihood, that the number of disputed ballots would have affected the outcome of the officers' election." Each officer won by the following number of votes: Guynn by 118 votes, Atkinson by 223 votes, Sherwood by 142 votes, and Hodges by 143 votes.

The suit lists 19 defendants including international president Ronald Carey and 18 other officers.

by CNB