April 22, 2000

Chuck Barnes, Vice-President
Laborers' International Union of
North America
Plaza 600, Room 1302
6th and Stewart
Seattle, Washington 98101

Dear Sir and Brother,

As I understand from our phone conversation on Monday, April 17, you refuse to answer the letter that was sent to you from our Local requesting the removal of Arthur Coia as our President Emeritus and the stopping of his $250,000 per year lifetime salary.

The letter was passed unanimously by our membership - Laborers Local 942-which you represent. It was sent to you belatedly by our Business Manager, Joe J. Thomas. The letter was dated March 1, 2000.

It has been more than 6 weeks since it was written and still there is no response. I find this delay unconscionable and frankly, disrespectful.

I appreciate the fact that you forwarded this letter to our General Counsel and handed it directly to the General President. However, since you are part of the General Executive Board that has within it the scope of authority to make this elevation of Arthur Coia to President Emeritus you and the General Executive Board also have the authority to unmake it.

It behooves me to ask you the following questions:

1. Did you vote yea or nay to make Arthur Coia President Emeritus?

2. Was the vote taken by the 15 member General Executive Board to make Arthur Coia President Emeritus passed unanimously by the Board? If not, who were the dissenting votes?

3. When were you notified that the then General President, Arthur Coia was charged with a felony and negotiating a plea-bargain agreement with the United States Government?

4. Were you and the other members of the General Executive Board aware of the Plea Agreement arrangements Arthur Coia filed in the United States District Court prior to your vote to make him President Emeritus?

5. Was Arthur Coia ever put on a leave of absence with pay during his tenure as General President?

6. When will the details of the plea bargain agreement be printed in the Laborer Magazine?

Suspension of Indicted officers: "Upon receipt of notice that any
officer, agent, representative, or employee of any entity within the Union has been indicted for any felony violation of any federal or state law,or for violating any federal or state law, relating to the conduct of the affairs of a labor organization or employee benefit or pension plan, the GEB and/or General President shall place the accused individual on a temporary leave of absence with pay. The GEB Attorney shall promptly institute a disciplinary hearing before the Independent Hearing Officer, who shall determine the appropriate discipline, if any (including whether and for how long to continue the suspension) pursuant to the procedures delineated herein. "Upon the adoption of this Disciplinary Procedure written notices, informing the Union membership of the signing and scope hereof will be sent to every local union, and will be printed in the first issue of the Laborer which is published after the date hereof.

Thanking you for your kind attention, I remain

Chris White
Laborer
Box 72938
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707 (907) 457-2543

cc:
Terence M. O'Sullivan-General President
Laborers International Union
of North America
905 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Phone: (202) 737-8320
Fax: (202) 737-2754

Joe J. Thomas - Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer
Laborers Local 942
2117 Kiana
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701,
(907) 456-4584

710 W. 9th AVE.
Juneau, Alaska 99801
(907) 586-2860

Fairbanks Fax (907) 452-6285
Juneau Fax (907) 586 5757