Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Katie Mulvaney
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A former director of the Laborers' New England Region Organizing Fund who pleaded guilty to an unlawful payment scheme was sentenced Thursday to three years probation barring him from holding any position within or affiliated with a labor organization.

Nicholas Manocchio, 55, had admitted in July to accepting gifts from an FBI agent posing as a contractor. As he appeared in U.S. District Court Thursday, Manocchio told Judge William E. Smith that he was "ashamed and embarrassed and repentant." He said that he had worked for social justice causes in the labor movement and ensuring workers' rights, and he tried to break through the culture of favoritism.

"I hope you don't define me by that single act," Manocchio told the judge.

"It's difficult to reconcile the two faces presented," Smith told Manocchio before sentencing him. While he had accomplished much, Manocchio had also breached trust, the judge said.

Along with the probation, Manocchio was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service for each of the three years and pay $2,500 in fines.

Two other defendants are also expected to be sentenced today.

Gerald Diodati, a construction contractor who owned and operated Rhode Island Demolition, in July pleaded guilty to conspiring to make unlawful payments to Laborers International Union of North America officials, including Manocchio, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Harold Tillinghast, a former organizer for the Laborer's New England Region Organizing Fund, in May pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive money and other things of value from contractors whose employees were represented by the Laborers International Union of North America.

The Labor Management Relations Act, known as the Taft-Hartley Act, prohibits employers from paying money or other things of value to "any labor organization, or any officer or employee thereof which represents, seeks to represent, or would admit to membership, any employees of such employer," according to the U.S. Attorney's office. The act also prohibits union officers and employees from receiving any such payments.

 Tags  Judge William E. Smith Nicholas Manocchio U.S. District Court

Comments

Joe Anderson Jr. said:

Another classic example of Union greed. "Don't judge me by one act" yeah, okay, because you NEVER did this before! Ban unions and let peoples hard work speak for itself, this dismal state will be better off without them - but the lazy workers will be in trouble!

Link | November 12, 2009 12:18 PM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.