ASSEMBLY MEMBER WHO ALLEGED CARPENTERS RETALIATED,PLACED TRACKING DEVICES ON HIS CAR SETTLES LAWSUIT
Assembly member Anthony Verrelli and four other former carpenters union employees have settled a years long lawsuit that alleged they were punished, surveilled and ultimately fired for supporting efforts to combat corruption and discrimination in the union.
The terms of the lawsuit’s settlement were not disclosed in the April 18 letter from Seth Ptasiewicz, a lawyer for the union, to state Superior Court Judge Cynthia Santomauro.
On behalf of the parties, I am pleased to advise the Court that on this date, the parties have reached an amicable resolution in this matter,” Ptasiewicz wrote.
The three-count lawsuit was filed in December 2020 against the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, its subsidiary the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and its leader, William Sproule. The suit alleged violation of the state’s whistleblower law and retaliation in violation of the Law Against Discrimination.
The union, a major player in New Jersey politics that has donated millions to aid Democratic campaigns, has garnered negative press attention and scrutiny from federal investigators in recent years.