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Executives for the American Postal Workers Union Local 6 have agreed to seek an outside audit of the union's books in exchange for one of its members dropping an internal complaint aimed at the organization's president and treasurer.
Charles Makapugay, a steward for Local 6, filed his complaint against President Charlie Cash and Treasurer Ricky Wehling in September, questioning how funds were being spent; alleging that outside audits had not been performed for several years; and claiming he had been denied access to key financial records.
"I settled after they agreed to do what I asked," Makapugay said. "I didn't want to go on and divide the union."
Cash, meanwhile, acknowledged minor errors but denied wrongdoing and said the accounting firm of Haynie & Co. will be asked to perform a two-year audit of union books and policies in early 2012.
The union president said Makapugay's complaint already had been brought to the attention of the Internal Revenue Services and the Department of Labor, and neither had initiated any action.
"To date,'' Cash said, "all agencies have passed on even coming to look at us."
The dispute provides a rare glimpse into union affairs that might otherwise not be public. Headquartered in West Valley City, Local 6 has 1,062 members and operates on a six-figure budget. Career members pay $23.42 in dues each pay period, while non-career members pay $16.25.
Local 6 represents clerks, motor-vehicle and maintenance employees who work at Salt Lake City's Remote Encoding Center and post offices serving Bountiful, Salt Lake City, Park City, Sandy, West Jordan and the Riverton-South Jordan area.
Makapugay's complaint, copies of which were obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune, alleged that financial data had been "manipulated, misapplied and misrepresented" and called for Cash's and Wehling's removal from office.
Cash informed union members of the complaint and settlement Wednesday.
The complaint alleges union officials overstated the land value of the union's office, at 3555 W. 3100 South in West Valley, by almost $10,000. Cash attributed the misstated land value to discrepancies between stated and taxable values and said it had since been corrected.
Makapugay also claims Wehling had been overpaid by $20,000 to $33,000 each year between 2007 and 2010, breaching union rules that cap his salary at an estimated $10,088 annually. Cash justified Wehling's extra pay, saying that members had voted to authorize reimbursement for added time he spent on union business.
In addition, the complaint alleges that Local 6 officials failed to conduct outside audits following elections that take place every three years.
While acknowledging that no outside audits had been conducted since before 2006, Cash countered that after he first took office in 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor inspected their books and the IRS conducted an audit — and neither agency found irregularities.
cmckitrick@sltrib.comtwitter: @catmck —
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 6 meet today 11/10 at 1 p.m. President Charlie Cash will inform them of a complaint filed in September by member Charles Makapugay and a recent agreement to request an outside audit in exchange for dropping the complaint.