Robert Georgine
Encyclopedia
Robert Georgine is a retired labor union
activist and leader in the United States
, and the former president, chairman and chief executive officer of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company
.
Georgine was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1932 to Silvio and Rose (Hogue) Georgine. He married the former Mary Greener, and they had four children.
With only had a high school diploma
and some college education (he never graduated), Georgine became a woodworker operating lathes and other wood working machinery. He joined the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers International Union (now part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
). He became his local union's business manager in 1962 and an international union representative in 1964.
Georgine's ascent in the union hierarchy was meteoric. After becoming a staff representative, he was appointed an assistant to the president of the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers in 1965.
Georgine was elected president of the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers in 1970. He served only one year: In 1971, he resigned union office after being elected secretary-treasurer of the Building and Construction Trades Department
(BCTD) of the AFL-CIO In 1974, Georgine was elected president of the Department. In 1985 he was elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council.
Georgine proved a highly effective and very popular BCTD president. In 1985, the AFL-CIO broke tradition by electing Georgine to the AFL-CIO executive council. He became the first constitutional department head to serve on the council.
Georgine was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company
(ULLICO) in 1990.
In the latter years of his tenure as BCTD president, Georgine was confronted with a number of problems. In 1995, he was challenged for the presidency of BCTD by A. L. "Mike" Monroe, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
. Sigurd Lucassen
, president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
and the largest BCTD affiliate, opposed Georgine's re-election even though Georgine's running mate was Carpenters' first vice president Paschal McGuinness. Monroe, Lucassen and others argued that Georgine had failed to maintain the effectiveness of local BCTD councils, refused to fund organizing programs and allowed jurisdictional disputes to get out of hand. They also claimed that Georgine's role as chief executive officer of ULLICO left him little time to devote to BCTD business. In a close election, however, Georgine won. McGuiness resigned less than a year later, after being investigated by federal authorities for corruption.
In 1996, federal authorities questioned whether Georgine interfered in a union election. The United States Department of Labor
(DOL) filed suit to overturn the October 1995 presidential election in the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
. A portion of the DOL lawsuit alleged that Georgine used BCTD funds and his position as president to support the re-election of the incumbent president (a Georgine supporter). Georgine was cleared, but the investigation put a cloud over his final term in office at BCTD.
Robert Georgine retired as BCTD president on April 15, 2000.
Robert Gergi settled with ULLICO in 2005, repaying millions to the company. He now lives in retirement.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist and leader in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the former president, chairman and chief executive officer of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company
Union Labor Life Insurance Company
Ullico Inc. is a privately held insurance and financial services holding company in the United States. The Union Labor Life Insurance Company was founded in 1925 by the American Federation of Labor by its then president, Samuel Gompers, to offer health and life insurance products specifically to...
.
Georgine was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1932 to Silvio and Rose (Hogue) Georgine. He married the former Mary Greener, and they had four children.
With only had a high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
and some college education (he never graduated), Georgine became a woodworker operating lathes and other wood working machinery. He joined the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers International Union (now part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
). He became his local union's business manager in 1962 and an international union representative in 1964.
Georgine's ascent in the union hierarchy was meteoric. After becoming a staff representative, he was appointed an assistant to the president of the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers in 1965.
Georgine was elected president of the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers in 1970. He served only one year: In 1971, he resigned union office after being elected secretary-treasurer of the Building and Construction Trades Department
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
The Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO is a constitutionally mandated department of the AFL-CIO. It was founded on February 10, 1908, as a way to overcome the jurisdictional conflicts occurring in the building and construction trade unions...
(BCTD) of the AFL-CIO In 1974, Georgine was elected president of the Department. In 1985 he was elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council.
Georgine proved a highly effective and very popular BCTD president. In 1985, the AFL-CIO broke tradition by electing Georgine to the AFL-CIO executive council. He became the first constitutional department head to serve on the council.
Georgine was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Union Labor Life Insurance Company
Union Labor Life Insurance Company
Ullico Inc. is a privately held insurance and financial services holding company in the United States. The Union Labor Life Insurance Company was founded in 1925 by the American Federation of Labor by its then president, Samuel Gompers, to offer health and life insurance products specifically to...
(ULLICO) in 1990.
In the latter years of his tenure as BCTD president, Georgine was confronted with a number of problems. In 1995, he was challenged for the presidency of BCTD by A. L. "Mike" Monroe, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades is a union representing about 140,000 painters, glaziers, wall coverers, flooring installers, convention and trade show decorators, glassworkers, sign and display workers, and drywall finishers in the United States and Canada...
. Sigurd Lucassen
Sigurd Lucassen
Sigurd Lucassen was a carpenter and an American labor leader. He was president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from February 1988 to 1995.-Early life:...
, president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
and the largest BCTD affiliate, opposed Georgine's re-election even though Georgine's running mate was Carpenters' first vice president Paschal McGuinness. Monroe, Lucassen and others argued that Georgine had failed to maintain the effectiveness of local BCTD councils, refused to fund organizing programs and allowed jurisdictional disputes to get out of hand. They also claimed that Georgine's role as chief executive officer of ULLICO left him little time to devote to BCTD business. In a close election, however, Georgine won. McGuiness resigned less than a year later, after being investigated by federal authorities for corruption.
In 1996, federal authorities questioned whether Georgine interfered in a union election. The United States Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
(DOL) filed suit to overturn the October 1995 presidential election in the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers is a labor union in the United States and Canada which represents bricklayers, pointers/cleaners/caulkers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tilesetters, terrazzo and mosaic workers...
. A portion of the DOL lawsuit alleged that Georgine used BCTD funds and his position as president to support the re-election of the incumbent president (a Georgine supporter). Georgine was cleared, but the investigation put a cloud over his final term in office at BCTD.
Robert Georgine retired as BCTD president on April 15, 2000.
Retirement from ULLICO
Although Georgine remained as president, chairman and CEO at ULLICO, he became caught up in a scandal with forced him to retire on May 8, 2003. He proposed a stock purchase deal to ULLICO's board of directors in which they would be able to buy ULLICO stock at a low price, then re-establish the stock price at a higher level. ULLICO would then repurchase their shares at that higher level, allowing them to reap millions in profits. After a lengthy scandal, Georgine was forced off the board and removed as CEO of ULLICO.Robert Gergi settled with ULLICO in 2005, repaying millions to the company. He now lives in retirement.