Tyrék D. Lee Sr., the top official at SEIU Local 1199 in
Massachusetts, has been suspended over “inappropriate conduct,” according to
the Boston Globe.
The newspaper cites unnamed “people
familiar with the situation” who say Lee was suspended over “accusations of
sexual harassment.” The local represents approximately 56,000 healthcare
workers in Massachusetts. (Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, “Head
of health care union suspended over allegations of inappropriate behavior,”
Boston Globe, December 12, 2017)
Lee holds the title of “Executive
Vice President” at SEIU Local 1199, where last year he earned $128,902,
according to records from the US Department of Labor.
Union officials did not detail
allegations against Lee, said the Globe.
Here’s what SEIU Local 1199 said in a statement to the press:
“1199SEIU strongly condemns all forms of inappropriate conduct and will
not tolerate such behavior by any employee of our union. Upon being made aware
of these allegations 1199SEIU has taken the action of suspending Executive Vice
President Tyrék Lee while a formal investigation is conducted.”
The Globe notes that “Lee took the top job at 1199SEIU in January 2016,
when he was 38.”
In November, SEIU appointed SEIU
Executive Vice President Leslie Frane to lead an internal investigation
due to the multiple
SEIU officials accused of sexual harassment and/or misconduct, including the
suspension and subsequent resignation of SEIU Executive Vice President Scott
Courtney.
SEIU also announced the formation
of an external advisory group including Cecilia Muñoz, former White
House Domestic Policy Council director; Fatima Goss Graves, president
and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center; and employment attorney Debra
Katz, founding partner of law firm Katz Marshall & Banks.
It’s possible Lee’s suspension was
connected to the investigation by Frane’s team.
If so, this may create some
nervousness over at SEIU-UHW, where staffers and members at SEIU-UHW describe
a
culture of bullying and sexual misconduct, including alleged affairs by the
union’s president, Dave
Regan. In mid-November, Marcus
Hatcher, one of the union’s top officials, was fired for allegedly having
simultaneous affairs with three female members of the union’s Executive Board.
Will Frane’s crew soon be knocking
on Regan’s door?
Stay tuned.
