Department of Labor Investigating Alleged Theft of Union Funds at AFSCME Local 1746

As wintertime contract negotiations at Cleveland's branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees come to a head, union members caught wind last week of disheartening news: two of their own were accused of embezzling funds.

According to a union member who spoke to Scene on the condition of anonymity, AFSCME Local 1746, which represents roughly more than 1,000 county workers, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. The source said two officials are suspended and an investigation into $158,000 in missing funds from 2021 and 2022 is underway.

"I'm not entirely certain where those numbers are coming from or where that information is coming from," said Namita Waghray, a spokesperson for 1746. "But the Department of Labor is, in fact, in an ongoing investigation. We are not commenting on that."

In an email interview, the AFSCME member told Scene that, following news of the investigation, offices of the president and vice president are "currently suspended," though this has not been verified.

The DOL's involvement in the Cuyahoga County union, which is located in Midtown at 1603 East 27th St., seems to have brought ongoing transparency issues to a crescendo. Employees interviewed detailed a "lack of constant communication," as one said, from higher ups, especially details about the next union steward election, or, lately, "exactly what we are negotiating."

“Would you trust people that can't manage to get an email list compiled, or right, to tell you everything that will be in the contract?" a county worker wrote in an email to Scene. "Multiple employees have requested a paper copy, or electronic copy, and were met with deaf ears if they tried.”

They added, "And we pay these people?"

Recently, in September, AFSCME Ohio Council 8 leaders—representing Northeast Ohio—joined Local 1746 and workers at the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services to protest unsafe working conditions at the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services center. Union reps claimed that Jane Edna's childcare room had descended into chaos; at least 35 employees, one social worker told WKYC, had been attacked by children.

"I was assaulted twice in this building," another woman said. "Somebody's gonna get killed in there."

Cuyahoga County responded by ensuring its new Child Wellness Campus, a Jane Edna alternative championed by County Executive Chris Ronayne, would deter any future episodes of assault.

Calls to the U.S. Department of Labor seeking comment were unreturned as of Wednesday.

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