Dear Members:

I served the membership of Local 270 as Business Manager from 1988 to 1996. In the eight years that I was your Business Manager there were many things that were accomplished under my administration that benefited you members. For example when I became Business Manager in 1988 we only had one medical insurance plan. I spoke to District Council officials about the need of having more than one plan and in time we had a choice of medical plans. I also started the Retiree's Club with an annual banquet for our retirees which was held every December. We also organized and brought the Day Care Providers into Local 270, the Sequoia workers and others were also brought into our union. There were many other things we accomplished during my eight years in office. I an proud of what has been achieved for our members. And now, we are facing a new election of officers for Local 270. This is a very important election and your vote is needed to voice your support for the future officers of this union. PLEASE VOTE!

Some of you may not know the real reason why I left Local 270 in December of 1996. I will be brief and to the point. I was removed from office by the GEB Attorney, Mr. Robert Luskin, for firing business agent Jim Homer. I was accused of firing Jim Homer because they said I thought he was cooperating with an investigation being conducted by the GEB Attorney. This is not true. The reason I fired Jim Homer was because he was involved in corrupt dispatching practices. He was sending people to work who were not on the work list, sending them out of order and at times sending suspended members to work.

I've had people tell me that Jim Homer is a racist. John Williams, a black man, told me recently that he found his own job and the contractor wanted to hire him. When he asked Jim Homer for a dispatch he would not give it to him but rather gave it to another worker is Santa Cruz. If Jim Homer is a racist or not, I'm not sure, but there are actions he has taken that makes one wonder.

For example, two white laborers, Steve Snider and Bill Botelho, had been suspended over a period of many months and Jim Homer continually sent them to work. In the case of Jim Botelho, be had been suspended from January 1995 to November 1995, and during this period of suspension, Jim Homer sent him to work for seven different contractors! Remember, these members were suspended when Jim Homer dispatched them to these jobs. Now, how did Jim Homer treat the Mexican laborers who were suspended? The following Mexican Laborers were suspended while working at construction jobs: Pio Carrillo, Ruben Mendura, Romero Valle and Michael Gonzalez. When Jim Homer found out that these Mexican laborers were suspended he filed a discharge form to have these laborers to job sites who are suspended but removes suspended Mexican laborers from their jobs! Is this racism? You be the judge.

Jim Homer is not the man for the office of Business Manager. A Business Manager must be honest and fair. All members, regardless of race, must be treated equal and fair when it comes to dispatching. Jim Homer has been corrupt in this area. When he practiced corrupt dispatching he was only a business agent. And if he mishandled the hiring hall as a business agent, what would he do if elected Business Manager, the highest office, within Local 270?? I assure you members that you must vote. In this election to remove Jim Homer from office. Who you should vote for is a decision you have to make, but be sure it is not Jim Homer. Local 270 deserves something better.

When I look back at what has happened over the past three years I do wonder about the element of racism. Just consider the following actions that have taken place within Local 270 over this three year period.

In 1996, the GEB Attorney, Robert Luskin (a white man), filed charges against myself for firing Jim Homer, and also filed charges against Ray Duran, Jr. and George Ramirez, Jr. All three of us are of Mexican descent. However, when I later filed charges against Jim McManaman and Jim Homer (both men are white), Robert Luskin refused to prosecute these men. The constitution of our union states any member can file charges but in this case Robert Luskin looked the other way!

Paul Radford, the current supervisor over Local 270 fully supports Jim Homer. In fact, it seems that he will do whatever it takes to protect Jim Homer and get him elected as Business Manager. Just recently, Local 270 auditor, Frank Lopez (a Mexican), was fired from office by Paul Radford. Also, business agent Rick Duarte, was fired by Mr. Radford. Then Paul Radford chose to fire Frank Romero, Gil Duran, Andy Espino and George Ramirez, Jr. All of these former employees and officers that Paul Radfor fired had one thing in common, all of them are Mexicans! Also, all of these men are running against Jim Homer in this election. Since they're running against Jim Homer, it fits Paul Radford's purpose to fire them after all he must do what he can to strengthen Jim Homer's position in this election!

When I was Business Manager I tried to get a recreational hall for our retirees. DO you know who would voice his opinion against it? That's right, Jim Homer! Just recently Paul Radford opened up a retirement center for the retirees and Jim Homer is trying to get the credit for it. Don't be misled by this political move. Jim Homer has consistently opposed benefits that I tried to establish for our members. I've also been told that Joe Gadano, the president of the Retiree's Club is supporting Jim Homer for Business Manager. The problem is that Joe Gandano does not know Jim Homer like I know him. Any election promises Jim Homer makes are purely political.

After I fired Jim Homer he was later put back on as a business agent. He then spoke to Executive Board members, Andrew Espino and Larry Flores, to make a motion in a Board meeting that he be given $10,000 for the time he did not work. Both Espino and Flores saw to it that Jim Homer got a check for $10,000! After Jim Homer's corrupt dispatching practices, do you think it's right for Local 270 to had given him $10,000? Both Andrew Espino and Larry Flores are running for office in this election with Bob Hill. Remember to vote against the Bob Hill ticket because of what Espino and Flores did in giving away $10,000 of your money to someone who did not deserve it!

The membership of Local 270 totals over 4,000 members and about 90% of the membership is of Mexican descent. This is why it is important to have a Business Manager who speaks Spanish. In fact, for well over the last twenty years all of our Business Managers have spoken Spanish. With a Mexican Business Manager we have always seen our members get a Thanksgiving certificate and gifts for Christmas. It's you members who pay your dues that keeps Local 270 in operation. You pay a lot of money in the union and you should get something back on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Today, there is no Business Manager in office that is Mexican. The person in office in charge under Paul Radford is Jim Homer. Tell me, did you members receive a Thanksgiving certificate this year as you did in the past? Has Jim Homer noticed you that you will be getting Christmas gifts this? Ho! For the first time in many, many years, the members of Local 270 get NOTHING!@ When you members received gifts in the past the union's assets were around $7,000,000. Today the assets of the union are about $9,000,000. We have $2,000,000 more today than we had in the past and yet Jim Homer don't see to it that you members receive your gifts!

Jim Homer wants to be Business Manager over a union that is 90% Mexican. But when he puts white people to work who are suspended, and removes Mexicans who are suspended from their jobs, take a stand against Jim Homer on election day! Fraternally, Joe Gutierrez, Bus. Mgr., 1988-1996.