DATE: Thursday, November 27, 1997           TAG: 9711270706
SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MICHAEL CLARK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   67 lines

LOCAL TEAMSTERS BOSS LOOKS AHEAD UNION PRESIDENCY MAY BE UP FOR GRABS

Like an asteroid plunging into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Teamsters president Ron Carey's problems with federally appointed union monitors have rippled into Hampton Roads, if only slightly.

After Carey announced he was taking a leave of absence Tuesday, the government's Independent Review Board filed internal union charges against him.

Those charges follow a Nov. 17 ruling by a court-appointed election officer to disqualify Carey from another election against James P. Hoffa, whom Carey defeated last December. The initial ruling found Carey took part in a plan to use $885,000 from Teamsters' funds to finance his campaign.

David Vinson, president of Teamsters Local 822 in Norfolk, said he hopes the latest round of troubles for Carey won't affect operations on a daily basis.

``However, there are numerous times when we need to contact the international (union), and right now it's very difficult,'' Vinson said. Local 822 represents 2,300 Teamsters in Hampton Roads.

``Everyone is consumed with what's going on'' at the union's Washington, D.C. headquarters, Vinson said.

Vinson said he does not believe Carey will return to lead the union.

``Whoever succeeds him will make changes,'' he said.

It's also not certain that Hoffa will be Carey's successor, Vinson said.

``I doubt he will ascend to the presidency,'' Vinson said of Hoffa. ``I have a memo from the election officer. Now, they're going to focus on Carey's protest about what Hoffa did in the election.''

Vinson said the allegations surrounding Hoffa are akin to the problems that have plagued Carey.

Three Carey campaign aides have admitted to running a plan to swap Teamsters donations for contributions to Carey's campaign. Carey has denied knowledge of the scheme.

``It's similar as far as funding within his campaign,'' he said.

``There's a good possibility that they're clearing the field,'' Vinson said.

The charges against Carey, and the investigation of Hoffa, are part of an old story for the Teamsters. Before Carey was elected on a reform platform in 1991, three union presidents before him, including Hoffa's father, James R. Hoffa, were sent to prison.

Until another election is held, the 1.4-million-member union will be without an elected leader. Under the union's constitution, secretary-treasurer Tom Sever is running the Teamsters during Carey's unpaid leave of absence.

Local union operations such as Vinson's will continue to feel the effects of trouble in Washington. But long-term implications must also be considered.

``Whoever gets the post will have a difficult financial situation,'' Vinson said.

One of 1,800 union delegates who elect the president, Vinson said he will nominate Ken Hall, president of Local 175 in Charleston, W.Va., for president.

Hall is also small package division director for UPS. Vinson called him the ``brains behind the (Teamsters) strike against UPS.''

Hall's name has been mentioned in national news identifying possible candidates.

Delegates nominate candidates by mail, Vinson said. He expects an election will be held next summer.

``Everything's in limbo up there,'' he said. ``It's going to take some time to settle down.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

BETH BERGMAN NAKAMURA, The Virginian-Pilot

David Vinson...

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