MCCARRON BROTHERS BATTLE OVER THE FUTURE OF THE CARPENTERS UNION

Mike McCarron of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters Files Suit Attacking the Improper Trusteeship Imposed on the Council by his brother and General President Doug McCarron. 

On Friday, October 4, 2013, Mike McCarron and two other members of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters (SWRCC) filed suit, in Federal Court in the Central District of California [Case no. SACV13‐1559 JVS ANX; 8‐13CV1559 JVS ANX] against the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) seeking to overturn a trusteeship imposed upon the SWRCC and Carpenters Local 1506. The suit also names as defendants, Mike’s brother Doug McCarron, the UBC’s General President and the mastermind of the scheme, Douglas Banes, the UBC’s General Vice President who imposed the trusteeship to provide Doug McCarron with cover, and Michael Draper, a UBC District Vice President who has been appointed as Trustee of the SWRCC. Today, Mike McCarron and the two other members filed an ex parte application for a Temporary Restraining Order and a Preliminary Injunction dissolving the trusteeship and staying any further trusteeship proceeding.


Mike McCarron is the elected Executive Secretary‐Treasurer (EST) of the SWRCC. His brother Doug McCarron is the General President of the UBC. According to the allegations in the court documents the brothers are embroiled in a bitter personal dispute, in which Doug McCarron has now dragged the UBC into. Doug McCarron is abusing his position as General President to gain leverage over Mike and push him out of the union. On July 22, 2013, Doug caused the UBC to impose an improper emergency trusteeship on the SWRCC, effectively removing Mike from his elected position. And to destroy Mike’s political base, Doug has even placed a de facto trusteeship over their home local, Local 1506.

The court documents further allege the dispute between Doug and Mike erupted in December 2011, over a $66,000.00 raise to Doug’s girlfriend. Relations were further strained when Mike found out that Doug was collecting his Southern California Carpenter pension in spite of UBC summary pension plan rules to the contrary. The situation completely deteriorated after the death of their mother on May 21, 2013. Mike is a trustee to his late mother’s estate and this fact infuriated Doug, because he had no control over the estate and Mike did not want to liquidate it as Doug demanded.

The SWRCC has approximately 65,000 members and $250,000,000.00 in assets. It is one of the largest Regional Councils in terms of membership and is the most profitable Regional Council in the Carpenters Union. The SWRCC has operated and expanded under Mike’s direction since his election to its top post in 1999. Many throughout the Brotherhood considered Mike to be the top contender for General President, and the only person who could overthrow Doug’s reign as General President.

For more information visit www.standwithmike.org

Mccarron Complaint

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