From a history perspective, Cleveland has one of the best in the country and had more clout with the Teamsters Union than any other family (arguably).
Very arguably. A number of families had more Teamster clout than Cleveland, starting with the Genovese. I would also add the Gambinos, Luccheses, and Chicago. I think Cleveland would be more on par with the Bufalinos or Kansas City.
Ahhh...I think you're a bit off Wiseguy. Through Tony & Frank Milano, Cleveland was heavily involved in unions and had most of the motion picture unions in L.A, through Maishe Rockman and his close friendship to Bill Presser and Jackie Presser, they had almost all locals in greater Cleveland under their control and Ohio has one of the largest Teamsters presence in the country.
1978 Report
Ohio States Conferences of Teamsters - William Presser is the Chairman of this conference. His son, Jackie, is recording secretary, and John J. Felice, a confidant of Jimmy Hoffa, is Trustee.
Teamster Joint Council 41 IBT Cleveland - William Presser is the President and Jackie Presser is Vice President of this organization. John J. Felice, Jr., is recording secretary. John J. Felice is very close to Chuck O'Brien and Tony Giacalone. Also an employee of Joint Council 41 prior his death was John Nardi a major figure in the organized crime community in the Cleveland area.
Locals, 73, 293, and 796 IBT Cleveland - All three of these Teamster Locals are controlled by John J. Felice, Jr. In Locals 73 and 293 he is the Secretary Treasurer and his father is President. In Local 796 he is also Secretary Treasurer with Jackie Presser being the President. As mentioned above Felice is a confidant of Chuck O'Brien and Tony Giacalone.
Local 416 - IBT Cleveland. This local has long been a haven for members of the Cleveland LCN. A former official Pat Catalano was murdered in 1965 as the result of a gang war. Nick Nardi, the current Secretary Treasurer is a brother of the later John Nardi who was killed in May 1977 in a LCN power struggle. Nick Nardi, as was his brother, is a member of the Cleveland LCN.
Local 410 - IBT Cleveland. The former Secretary treasurer, John Nardi, who was recently murdered, has been identified as a member of the LCN. He has been involved in the investigation of a murder of an Akron, Ohio contractor.
Local 860 - Cleveland. Tony Liberatorte(sp), business manager,(see page 51) has served 20 years for a conviction for the murder of a policeman. He has recently been appointed to serve on the Cleveland Sewer Board despite heavy criticism from the press. In 1973 Liberatore supplied $150,000 in stolen securities to Harry Hall, a teamster hanger-on, for sale in Chicago.
CLEVELAND
The leaders of organized crime captured control of the major portion of the labor movement in Cleveland at an early date. This domination continues to this day.
One of the first documented association between organized crime and the labor movement dates back to the early 1940's when John Scalish, the former head of organized crime in Cleveland, and his close associate Frank Embrescia, came into the control of the Cleveland Federation or Labor. Scalish's contact was William Finnegan the Secretary of the Federation. Embrescia and Scalish were both associates of Mickey Cohen, the notorious Los Angeles racketeer.
The real influence of organized crime in Cleveland's Labor Unions begins with Anthony Milano, who during the late 1920's and early 1940's was consiglieri of the Mayfield Road gang, the predecessor organization to the current Cleveland syndicate. Milano gained a foothold in the Teamsters Union by organizing the Commission House Workers Teamster Local 400. The Teamsters were unable to organize the commission house workers and Milano made a deal that if the Teamsters would place an individual of his choosing as the head of the Union he would see that the commission house workers were organized. The Teamsters agreed, and Milano organized the workers. The Teamsters subsequently placed Charles Cimino as the head of that organization pursuant to Milano's request.
The Teamsters Union was also infiltrated by organized crime figures Louis "Babe" Triscaro, Frank Brancato, Michael Rini, John J. Felice and several others, all with the assistance of Milano and Scalish. Mike Minaden an LCN member and currently an official of Laundry Workers Local 1 was an associate of Milano dating back to the early 1920's.
Although Milano's influence within the labor movement has diminished recently because of his age and inactivity, John Scalish and his close associate Maishie Rockman continue the control of the labor unions, especially in the Teamsters through Bill and Jackie Presser. It is generally believed that William Presser gained his position as International Vice President through the Cleveland organized crime family connections with the Detroit and Chicago organized crime syndicates.
There are organized crime figures or close associates of organized crime figures in virtually every Teamster organization in the Cleveland area. A discussion of Teamsters in Ohio and the Cleveland area must begin with William Presser. He is closely allied to all major organized crime figures in the area including Anthony Milano, John Scalish, and John DeMarco, now deceased, and on a national level, Allen Dorfman. Presser, had been a close ally of Hoffa, and now Frank Fitzsimmons.
Jackie Presser, his son, has continued to build his public image in the area through appointment to various civic organizations and favorable publicity in the media. He is cultivating political contacts including a close association with Governor Rhodes, and appears on his way to surpassing his father in power and influence throughout Ohio. His goal is reportedly the presidency of the International Teamsters Union.
Closely allied with William and Jackie Presser is Harold Friedman, brother in law of William Presser, who controls Bakery and Confectionery Workers Local 19 as President. Harold Friedman is a convicted felon and a former close associate of Hoffa.
Tony Hughes, Teamster Local 507 Recording Secretary, former prizefighter and muscleman, is a close associate of Jackie Presser and co-owner with Presser's wife of the Forge Restaurant.
John San Filippo, Teamster Local 346 Business Agent, is an associate of Thomas Licavoli, who was the head of the prohibition era Detroit-Toledo Purple Gang and convicted killer who was released from Ohio Penitentiary in 1971. San Filippo was also associated with LCN members Babe Triscaro and Frank Brancato, both deceased. Since "Babe" Triscaro's death in 1974, Local 436, one of the largest Teamster locals in the area, has been placed in trusteeship with William Presser as a Trustee. Sam Busacca, Triscaro's son-in-law and Local 436 Vice President has been permitted to continue to operate the local under the trusteeship.
Teamster Local 410 is made up of vending machine service employees. It's primary function appears to be to maintain peace in the vending machine indudtry through assurance of sites and locations of machines and equipment. Organized Crime figures have been deeply involved in the vending machine business, including the late John Scalish, Milton Rockman, and Frank Embrescia. Carmen Milano, son of Tony Milano, and an attorney, has, over the years been paid a retainer for few, if any, services to this Local along with similar payments he has received from other Teamster Locals including Local 436.
Nick Francis, President, Teamster Local 416, a local made up of non-skilled employees, received the charter for this Local in 1958 through the intercession of Tony Milano. Local 416 has become a haven for organized crime personalities. In the late 1960's Pat Catalano began clashing with Harold Friedman of Local 507 over organizational jurisdiction. In addition, he began openly displaying a lack of respect for Tony Milano. In April, 1968, Catalano was killed, his body has never been found nor his murderer apprehended. After Catalano's disappearance, Nick Oriti, long-time friend and associate of Milano and boyhood friend of Frank Brancato, succeeded Francis as Local 146 Secretary-Treasurer. Nick Nardi, brother of the late LCN member John Nardi, and nephew of Tony Milano, is Trustee and Business Agent of Local 416.
Teamster Local 415 chartered in October, 1973, has as its principal officers, Dennis Francis and Robert Nardi, sons of Nick Francis, Teamster Local 416 Secretary-Treasurer and the late John Nardi.
John Felice, Senior and his son John, Junior, control Local 292. John Sr., is now semi-retired and control of the organization has been gradually turned over to John Jr. Felice Sr., has been close associate of William Presser and Babe Triscaro through the years. The Felice family is known to have been closely associated with Yonnie Licavoli. Felice Sr., visited Licavoli while in the Ohio Penitentiary and identified himself as a second cousin. Felice Jr., is associated with Jackie Presser in Loca1 796 as Secretary-Treasurer nephew of deceased LCN figure Frank Minnitti
Tony Liberatore is Business Agent, of Laborers Local 860. Liberatore spent 20 years in the Ohio Penitentiary for a gangland-style killing of two Cleveland Detectives. He was a close associate of the late Babe Triscaro. Liberatore was the local representative of the Hoover-Gorin Public Relations Firm, which was awarded a contract for $1.3 million annually by the International Teamsters Union. William Presser was instrumental in arranging this contract between the Teamsters and newly formed Hoover-Gorin. Liberatore is present on the Sewer Board of the City of Cleveland.
The President of Laundry Workers Local l is Michael Minaden, known LCN figure and former organization bagman.
Longshoremen Local 1317, which provides the manpower for the Port of Cleveland has a long history of violence going back to the days when Danny Greene headed the Union. Greene was removed from Office following a conviction for violations of the Landrum Griffin Act.
Greene has been associated with various organized crime figures over the years. He has a very close association with Frank Brancato. Since leaving Local 1317 he has been involved in a rubbish hauling association. Greene is believed to be behind many of the bombings which have occurred in Cleveland in recent years. He is also believed to have been involved in a shakedown of contractors on major construction projects in the area along with Brancato.
Ironworkers Local 17 has a long history of violence, muscle, shootings, bombings, assualts, and murders. It has been a haven for ex-convicts over the years.
Restaurant Workers Local 10 is an amalgamation of former waitresses, bartenders, cooks, and miscellaneous restaurant workers locals, which controls the restaurant industry in Cleveland. The local President until recently was Jackie Presser. Another official is Jack Lubin, a suspected loanshark and convicted arsonist.
Local 18, Operating Engineers, is a state-wide organization engaged primarily in operation of heavy equipment. This Local has a long history of violence, muscle, and bombing activity. The trade relationship between Local 18 and teamster Local 436 and Liberatore's Laborers Local 860 has resulted in a close working relationship between the three. Nick Satullo, a known bomb expert, was part of Local 18 operation for many years. There has also been a close relationship between this organization, Teamsters Local 436, Laborers Local 860, and the Excavating and Paving Contractors Association.
A consequence of organized crime's total domination of the labor movement in Cleveland has been the exertion of power in political and commercial circles where dependence upon unions is a necessity. For instance, the City of Cleveland operates the Cleveland Convention Center and Public Hall. The undisputed but yet unofficial boss of the Cleveland Convention Center is Teamster Local 407 President Eddie Lee. Although Lee's sole function is the head of the Local which unloads and moves about exhibits for conventions, he controls the entire hall. The consequence of such activity is the enrichment of Eddie Lee and the chaotic running of this major source of source of revenue for the community. These abuses are under investigation by the Cleveland Strike Force.
The most significant result of organized crime influence over the labor unions is the resulting political influence. The Cleveland area is primarily an industrial community in which the unions wield a tremendous amount of political power. Corrupt union leaders are able to dictate their wishes to political candidates. Judges and prosecutors must curry their favor.
Michael Rini, former Teamster Local 400 President and now Administrative assistant and Labor Advisor to Mayor Ralph Perk plays a dominant role in hiring and firing of county officials. Rini is also know as a "fixer" for any problems that may arrive for influential organized crime figures. Rini was responsible for the transfer of a Police Sergeant who was harrassinq prostitution activities at the Sterling Hotel, a Local organized crime and Teamster hangout. Ernest Zeve, owner of record of the Sterling Hotel is an associate of William Presser. Rini is a protege of Babe Triscaro who was responsible for Rini's rise to power.
Michael Rini is also partially responsible, along with Anthony Milano, for placing Anthony Liberatore on the Cleveland Sewer Board.
Cleveland is a labor town, and the labor unions are in the hands of organized crime. Through this power organized crime has a definite say in the political and economic life of the city.
Angelo Lonardo Senate Statement 1988
http://mafiahistory.us/maf-invl.html
