Administrator of UPW union resigns

Associated Press

The administrator appointed to oversee the United Public Workers union following the resignation of convicted former director Gary Rodrigues has resigned, officials said yesterday.

Honolulu attorney Peter L. Trask, who was appointed administrator of the 12,000-member union in December, plans to return to private practice, the UPW's parent union said in a news release.

The parent, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, announced in December it was taking over daily operations of Hawai'i's UPW Local 646.

Rodrigues, once one of the most influential labor leaders in the state, was suspended by AFSCME on Nov. 21, days after he and his daughter, Robin Rodrigues Sabatini, were convicted on federal charges of mail fraud, money laundering, embezzlement and accepting kickbacks.

Rodrigues resigned the next day and was replaced by his longtime supporter Dwight Takeno. Some UPW members organized a petition drive to have Takeno and executive board members removed, saying they still were influenced by Rodrigues.

AFSCME appointed Trask as administrator and Elizabeth C. Ho, the parent union's area director in Hawai'i, as deputy.

Ho, who was named Trask's replacement, said the UPW plans to convene a convention to elect a new leader.