Bethel pledges to work with membership and new officials to 'right the AMO ship'

Bethel pledges to work with membership and new officials to 'right the AMO ship'

New president, administration take immediate, decisive action to ease union through difficult time, safeguard status as 'nation's largest, strongest, most stable and secure'

American Maritime Officers National President Thomas J. Bethel will work closely with AMO members to "right the ship" in the wake of the criminal case against Michael McKay, the former union president.

"I have every confidence in the AMO membership, and I want all AMO members to know with absolute certainty that they can have every confidence in me and in the new national executive board of our union," Bethel said Jan. 8. "The membership's trust in us will not be squandered."

That morning, the national executive committee of AMO designated Bethel by unanimous vote to complete McKay's term as national president, which began Jan. 1. AMO National Secretary-Treasurer Jose Leonard, AMO Great Lakes Vice President Daniel Smith, AMO Deep-Sea Vice President Joseph Gremelsbacker and AMO Vice President at Large Edward Kelly supported Bethel as McKay's successor. Bethel had served as AMO national executive vice president, a post that remained vacant as American Maritime Officer neared press time.

The NEC vote to install Bethel as national president followed McKay's resignation from that office. McKay and his brother, former AMO National Secretary-Treasurer Robert McKay, were convicted of several felonies three days earlier in United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

"AMO remains the nation's largest, strongest, most stable and most secure union of U.S. merchant marine officers, despite the controversies and negative press resulting frrom the five-year investigation of AMO and AMO Plans by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Justice and the indictment, trial and conviction of Michael McKay and Robert McKay," Bethel said.

"The AMO membership is a principal factor in our union's sustained success and resiliency. AMO members are professionals in every sense of the word," he continued. "They have much to contribute to union policy, and I welcome their comments and questions."

Bethel said he would "reach accommodation" with newly elected AMO National Executive Board Members David Weathers, Daniel Shea and Eric Norton during the board's meetings in Hollywood, Fla., in February 2007.

Bethel also said he would invite Capt. Jack Hearn, Capt. Mike Finnigan and Rob Woodman, a Great Lakes mate, to discuss union policy matters, individually or together, with him "at the earliest possible opportunity." Hearn, Finnigan and Woodman drew strong support as candidates challenging Michael McKay for the office of national president of AMO during the 2006 AMO election.

"Brothers Hearn, Finnigan and Woodman put a lot of time, energy and thought into their campaigns," Bethel said. "Open dialogue among us would serve our union well, and I look forward to it."

Chairing his first AMO membership meeting as national president in Dania Beach Jan. 8, Bethel reported on actions already taken in response to the guilty verdicts returned against Michael McKay and Robert McKay:

The removal of Michael McKay and Robert McKay from the AMO payroll. Robert McKay was defeated in the 2006 AMO election of officers and should have been removed from the payroll as of Jan. 1, but Michael McKay hired Robert McKay as a consultant without the knowledge of the national executive board.

Acceptance of Michael McKay's letter of resignation by the national executive board of AMO.

Under federal law, a union official, representative or employee found guilty of any felony must resign his post immediately upon acceptance of the jury's verdict by the presiding judge. However, the judge hearing McKay's case reportedly agreed to allow McKay additional time in office pending sentencing in March 2007.

"Michael McKay's continued presence in any capacity was unacceptable to me and to the AMO national executive board," Bethel said. "We encouraged him to step down."

The preparation by Bethel, Smith and Leonard of formal charges against Michael McKay and the initiation of impeachment proceedings against him had he not resigned voluntarily

The filing of charges and impeachment as provided for in Article XXIII of the American Maritime Officers National Constitution would have removed Michael McKay from office and from AMO membership.

Preparation of a lawsuit against Michael McKay and Robert McKay under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act--the suit would seek recovery of money obtained from AMO illegally by the defendants while in official office in AMO. The joint union-employer Board of Trustees of the AMO Pension, Medical, Vacation and Safety and Education Plans were preparing a similar suit.

Bethel said the AMO national executive board would also pursue recovery of union funds from former AMO Deep-Sea Vice President Thomas Kelly, an early figure in the criminal investigation of AMO and AMO Plans.

In January 2006, Kelly entered a guilty plea to a single felony charge of embezzlement from the union in the amount of $32,500 and agreed to testify for the prosecution in the trial of Michael McKay and Robert McKay. Under cross-examination by defense counsel during the trial, Kelly admitted that he had embezzled more than the amount settled upon in the plea agreement signed by Kelly and federal prosecutors. Kelly's sentencing was scheduled for Friday, Jan. 19.

On Jan. 9, Bethel dismissed James Lynch as deep-sea dispatcher for AMO. Lynch was charged with racketeering and conspiracy in the same indictment handed down against Michael McKay and Robert McKay by a federal grand jury in Miami in June 2005. Lynch's case was severed from the McKays' late last year because his attorney was ill, and Lynch's trial was scheduled to begin this month.

The indictment, unsealed in September 2005, also named a fourth defendant, former AMO Plans maintenance supervisor Phil Ciccarelli, who agreed to plead guilty last year to a single felony. Ciccarelli also testified for the prosecution during the five-week trial of Michael McKay and Robert McKay.

Bethel also dismissed James F. "Pat" Paterson, a retired National Maritime Union official hired by Michael McKay as an adviser and consultant assigned to the AMO office in Brooklyn, N.Y.

In addition, Bethel prepared the required notice of intent to cancel a consulting contract between AMO under Michael McKay and Gerald B. Lackey, a former special assistant to McKay at AMO headquarters in Dania Beach and former counsel to the union on the Great Lakes.

Bethel said additional dismissals and personnel reassignments were "forthcoming."

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