International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 9: Trusteeship Records

James Bishop, ousted leader of IBPAT, District Council 9, was murdered on May 17, 1990 by operatives of the Lucchese Crime Family. The former secretary-treasurer's murder led to the unraveling of the District Council's leadership, as the ensuing investigation by city, state and federal law enforcement agencies revealed the layers of corruption that pervaded the Council. Six weeks later, the top officials of the District Council, along with two mob-connected contractors, were indicted on bribery and racketeering charges. All but one (against whom charges were later dropped) pleaded guilty and were sentenced to jail. The indictments by the Manhattan District Attorney's office were the result of an intensive two-year investigation into corruption in the painting industry. City, state and federal prosecutors collaborated in the probe. Bishop was murdered by the mob because they correctly suspected that he was talking with the government investigators.

The international union was slow to react to the troubles in the New York City District Council, one of the largest in the country. No action was taken until the indictments were released. At that point, General President William Duval assigned international vice president James Damery to conduct an investigation. The effort was seriously compromised by the fact that Damery's conduit for membership complaints was international representative William Courtien, named in the indictment as one of the coordinators of the enterprise conspiracy. Seven months after the indictments, when the officials were pleading guilty and resigning from office, President Duval appointed John Alfarone, President of Local 1974 to serve as Trustee of District Council 9. This action precipitated a battle within the international union's General Executive Board. Duval's opponents made an effort to remove Alfarone as Trustee, but the attempt failed.

Alfarone's long-running legal battle to thwart the efforts of organized crime to destroy the Tapers local earned him a reputation as a fighter of corruption. He had a reputation for independence and was a fierce opponent of the old, mob-linked leaders. As the newly-appointed Trustee of DC 9, he committed himself to a program of reform. At a membership meeting on May 18th, 1991 Alfarone reported that the U.S. Department of Justice would institute court action to impose a federal trusteeship over DC 9 unless the union acted to rid itself of organized crime control.

Upon taking over as Trustee, Alfarone dissolved the District Council, cancelled the elections and the proposed referendum on the District Council by-laws scheduled for June, instituted fiscal reforms, ordered a change in job and shop stewards, and directed organizers to patrol job sites. Alfarone issued periodic reports to General President Duval on the status of the trusteeship. Duval was still embroiled in his own fight to maintain his position, against opponents who outnumbered him on the General Executive Board.

The trusteeship came to an end in the Spring of 1992. In June of that year an election was held in the District Council for the top position of secretary-treasurer and for six business agent positions.