I move that a letter be sent by Local 942 to the International requesting that the General Executive Board remove Arthur Coia as President Emeritus and that his life-time salary of $250,000 per year be stopped...

Chris White - Laborer
Local 942
Fairbanks, Alaska

This Motion was made and carried unanimously by the membership of Local 942 at the regular monthly meeting on February 11, 2000. What follows is a proposed letter:

Carl Booker
General Secretary-Treasurer

LIUNA Headquarters

RE: Removal Of Arthur A. Coia As President Emeritus And The Cancellation Of His Annual Salary Of $250,000 For Life

Dear Sir and Brother,

It is with deep regret that we make this request but we believe it is in the best interest of the union.

At the monthly meeting on Feb. 11, 2000 our members voted unanimously that the International Union take the necesssary steps to remove Arthur A. Coia from the honorary position as "President Emeritus" and to stop his annual salary of $250,000 per year for the rest of his life.

Mr. Coia has stepped down under a plea bargain agreement with the United States Justice Department which bans him from participating in LIUNA activites for life and from being an employee or providing services to any other union for five years.

On January 31, 2000 Arthur Coia plead guilty in federal court to a felony mail fraud charge that he evaded state and local taxes of nearly $100,000 on three Ferrari sports cars. One car is valued at over 1 million dollars.

He did this by obtaining a fraudulent invoice from Viking Leasing, a union vendor, indicating the Ferraris only cost a fraction of their market value. Arthur Coia could have received up to five years in prison, three years probation and a $250,000 fine.

Instead, under a deal negotiated with federal prosecutors, Coia was sentenced to two years probation and fined $10,000. He also agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to the State of Rhode Island and the Town of Barrington. This deal banishes Coia from holding any positions of power in the Laborers Union for life. It also prevents him from being an officier of or providing services to any other union for 5 years.

The conviction of Mr. Coia has led to disheartening national news coverage from all sides of the political spectrum. Whatever achievements his reform program has accomplished are sorely overshadowed by his felony conviction. He is now discredited and should not be considered an ceremonious representative of our union.

If he were to retain this position of "President Emeritus" it would send the wrong message to the world and the labor movement - that we tolerate corruption. Not only that, but we are willing to reward this labor racketeering with an honorary position and a guaranteed annual salary of $250,000 for life.

It is best for Mr. Coia and all of us, that he take his 42 years of accumulative pensions and quietly retire and spend time with his family as he stated he wanted to do.

Thanking you for your kind attention,

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