SECURITY UNIONSDOJ Investigating SPFPA Local - at Disney Land - in Theft of $160K

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is investigating the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) union over the theft of $160,0000 from the pension funds for workers at California’s Disneyland.

IESA Local 1955, which represents about 1,500 security personnel in California’s Disneyland, and which became affiliated with SPFPA in October 2021, is being investigated by the United States Department of Labor.

On 16 February, the Local 1955 members held a meeting in Anaheim, California.

According to the published minutes of the meeting, the meeting was attended by Local 1955 Executive Board and the SPFPA senior officers.

In the meeting, David Hickey, SPFPA President, and Patrick Lemos, Acting Local President, talked about two troubling issues.

The first was the suspension of Roger Bediamol as the Local 1955 President pending a hearing at the International Union SPFPA headquarters.

The suspension came after Bediamol was identified as the key union officer behind the disappearance of $160,000 in union members’ dues.  Approximately $25,000 was located in the personal accounts of the now-former SPFPA local president.

The Local Union Executive Board called for his resignation, and he refused, which prompted the vote to suspend him.

Hickey disclosed to the Board that there is an on-going DOL investigation because some $160,000.00 in union member contributions cannot be accounted for.

He noted that the Labor Department will investigate these transactions to find what funds were moved into personal accounts.

The public revelations about the unaccounted $160,000 were included in text messages from what Hickey described as “a disgruntled employee.”