Democratic committeeman loses union office

Schaumburg Township Democratic Committeeman Rocco Terranova said Wednesday that his recent removal from his union office was solely the result of internal union politics and in no way a legal matter.

Tom Burek, president and business manager of Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local 73, said Terranova had been removed from his office as business representative for violations of the union's constitution, but declined to be more specific.

Terranova had been running for president and business manager against Burek, and the allegations against him stemmed from that campaign.

"It's all union politics," Terranova said. "I did nothing illegal. He knew I was beating him."

Members of the Schaumburg Township Democrats Wednesday said they hadn't heard of the allegations and weren't expecting any change in Terranova's position as Democratic committeeman.

According to documents obtained by the Daily Herald, Terranova was accused misrepresenting his authority within the union to obtain records of union credit card activity at two restaurants in late 2008 and early 2009.

This information was then distributed to others to be used against opponents in his upcoming election, according to the documents.

Terranova said information he found only revealed that bills were not being paid.

Last month, the union's trial board found Terranova guilty. Disciplinary action included removing him from his current office, barring him from seeking further office until April 30, 2010, and fining him $8,000.

However, if Terranova is not cited with any further violations for three years, the fine is to be reduced by half.

According to a letter sent to union members this month by Burek, Terranova has appealed the verdict, but his request for a waiver of discipline while his appeal is considered was denied.