AFL-CIO Labor Leader Back to Work, Scolded Over Strip Club Expense
Former Orange County Labor Federation leader Tefre Gebre is back on the job as third-in-command of the AFL-CIO following an investigation into a strip club receipt submitted for reimbursement months ago. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, ordered the probe back on Apr. 23. News of the discord among higher ranks of the national federation reached Splinter the following week when Gebre appealed to the 55-member executive council on the grounds that Trumka had no authority to place him on paid leave, much less investigate the matter.
Following a meeting of the council, Gebre’s paid suspension was lifted, but not before receiving a scolding from Trumka. “Dear Brother Gebre,” the three page letter obtained by Splinter begins.
“The conduct revealed in the report cannot be excused as an accident,” Trumka wrote. “The accident was the product of negligent practices by you and those acting under your direction. A receipt was submitted that on its face had no business purpose and reimbursement was requested for a meal when the receipt on its face contained no meal charge.”
On Nov. 3, 2018, Gebre patronized Playmates, a Miami strip club, and rang up a $117.70 tab. The AFL-CIO executive vice president contended that the receipt got submitted in error (not by him) and was retracted before reimbursement.
Read more: https://ocweekly.com/afl-cio-labor-leader-on-leave-for-strip-bar-tab-reimbursement-flap/