1/7/2021 ST. LOUIS — – The president of a St. Louis postal union was indicted Wednesday and accused of embezzling about $80,000.
Scott E. Rodgers, president of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 since October 2016, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on a felony charge of embezzlement from a labor union, according to an indictment made public Thursday. Rodgers had access to the union bank account and a debit card, the indictment says.
Rodgers made four unauthorized ATM withdrawals and used the union debit card for unauthorized personal purchases including meals, fuel, transportation, travel and lodging, the indictment says. He also claimed “lost time payments,” falsely saying he was doing union business when he was not, according to the indictment.
The union represented 465 mail handlers in 2019, the indictment says.
The union’s former treasurer, Yvette Luster, was indicted on the same charge in October and accused of stealing $184,000.
On October 7, 2020, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Yvette Luster, former Treasurer of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), was charged with one count of embezzlement of labor union assets in the amount of $184,138, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office and the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General. From January 2016 to April 2020, Luster made about 203 unauthorized ATM withdrawals, used the debit card for unauthorized purchases including flights and meals for herself and family members, wrote unauthorized checks to herself and received unearned lost time payments, her indictment says.
This is exactly why I have been fighting for mail handlers to have more rights and say so about our constitution and bylaws. Local presidents can change their bylaws without members even knowing. Although we have a right just call your labor. Too much power is given to our local presidents they do what they want when they want with no accountability and no one to answer to. National cannot even step in. Mailhandlers It’s time we come together as pay members and demand our constitution and bylaws not be in the hands of the local presidents.
DISGUSTING, DISGRACEFUL AND I OFTEN WONDERED WHY WE PAY DUES WHEN THEY AREN’T PASSIONATELY REPRESENTING US WHEN WE REALLY NEED THEM TO AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT WHO’S THEIR OWN BEST FRIENDS, HOW CAN THEY REMAIN IMPARTIAL AND DEDICATED TO ITS MEMBERS, EXCEPT FOR STEALING OUR DUES AND PATRONIZING US DAILY!
I’m very sorry to those who do a commendable work every day.
In Michigan i believe the number was 11 big shots from the UAW that
were in legal trouble. Please think of members that need you to be
honorable leaders. Workers need leaders to stand up to make the
playing field fair.