California union president threatened staff and stole records, report finds

An embattled California union president faces new discipline from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) after an independent investigator determined that he threatened staff, improperly suspended other elected officers and stole documents from the labor organization.

The investigator’s report, obtained by The Sacramento Bee, is the latest setback for Richard Louis Brown, the alreadysuspended leader of

SEIU Local 1000, the largest public employee union in California state government.

Brown could face immediate removal from his roles as union president and steward after the investigation found sufficient evidence to support 12 alleged acts of misconduct.

The investigator also recommended that Brown be reprimanded for his actions and barred from running for office until 2025.

The union’s 65 board members are expected to vote on the recommendations in a private meeting Saturday. They’ll need a two-thirds majority of present and voting members to approve any disciplinary actions.

Bill Hall, Local 1000’s board chair and acting leader, declined to comment on the findings.

“I am dedicated to suspended President Richard Louis Brown having his fair, unbiased due process,” Hall said.

The investigation by Maryland-based mediator Homer La Rue stemmed from disciplinary charges, originally filed in March 2022, alleging Brown misused his power to defy and subvert the union’s board and executive committee.

Anica Walls, Local

1000’s vice president for organizing and representation, filed 10 charges against Brown, alleging he failed to hold board meetings and occupied Local 1000 headquarters after the board moved to suspend him.

Michael Guss, a Local 1000 district labor council leader, also filed charges alleging Brown had exhibited threatening and targeting behavior toward board members during some of his “Local 1000 Listens to You” livestreamed programs in

2021.

La Rue’s investigation found sufficient evidence that Brown failed to properly conduct board meetings, undermined the authority of the union’s executive committee, improperly suspended three of Local 1000’s vice presidents, threatened to discipline staff for communicating with the “suspended” vice