Lawyer for OPSEU's former president says union's allegations 'bogus'
CBC
A lawyer for the former president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says allegations of financial improprieties in a lawsuit launched by the union are untrue.
OPSEU is seeking nearly $6 million it alleges was unlawfully transferred to former president Warren (Smokey) Thomas, former first vice-president/treasurer Eduardo Almeida and former financial services administrator Maurice Gabay, as well as millions more in damages.
The union alleges it has uncovered that Thomas and Almeida paid themselves "significant compensation" they weren't entitled to, used union money for non-business purposes, transferred union vehicles to themselves or family members and paid out strike fund cash to themselves and Gabay.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
Jeffrey Kroeker, a lawyer for Thomas, said in a statement Tuesday that the statement of claim is "riddled with errors, falsehoods, and untrue allegations."
"Mr. Thomas rejects the claim against him and intends to defend his good name," Kroeker wrote.
Kroeker said Thomas served as OPSEU president "faithfully and proudly" for 15 years. He said Thomas was hailed as a "tough but fair leader" with a reputation for being honest, caring and someone who always put the interests of his members and his union first.
"That will never change," said Kroeker.
"Through his lawyers, Mr. Thomas is reviewing all legal options available to him and will shortly respond. Until Mr. Thomas files a defence, he will make no further comment about the bogus claims against him or the motives and politics behind it."
Almeida and Gabay could not be reached for comment and it is unclear if they have retained lawyers or have filed statements of defence.
OPSEU alleges there were more than $1 million in charges to the corporate credit cards of the three defendants that didn't come with supporting documentation to show they were for legitimate business purposes.
The union alleges Thomas and Almeida also entered into "settlement agreements" with OPSEU for $500,000 each for inappropriate purposes in the months leading up to their departures.
Almeida's settlement was purportedly to settle a claim for "defamation, intentional interference with economic relations, intention infliction of mental suffering and civil conspiracy," the statement of claim says.
"These agreements were not known to or authorized by the executive board at the time," OPSEU alleges in its lawsuit.
The Rachel Notley government's consumer carbon tax wound up becoming a weapon the UCP wielded to drum the Alberta NDP out of office. But that levy-and-repayment program, and the wide-ranging "climate leadership plan" around it, also stood as the NDP's boldest, provincial-reputation-altering move in their single-term tenure.