Dirt Diggers Network: Digest No. 9
June 20, 2002
Editor: Philip Mattera
1. Query on IPOs
2. Query about IRS Form 990s
3. Report on hazardous waste incinerators in South Carolina
4. Info on Spanish-speaking unionbusters
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1. Query on IPOs
Rick Rehberg writes:
I'd like to get recommendations from the group for websites that track
companies in the process of going public. I know there are plenty of IPO
sites, but I am interested in finding sites that focus on companies that
have not yet issued an IPO, and have not yet made any filings with the SEC,
but that have announced that they intend to go public (or that are rumored
to be going public). Thanks.
Rick Rehberg, Research Director
Food and Allied Services Trades Dept. (FAST, AFL-CIO)
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2. Query about IRS Form 990s
Andy Banks writes:
I have noticed that often on IRS 990 forms obtained online at Guidestar.org
that the major contributors names are withheld from publication. Is their another
way to obtain these names such as asking for the 990 form directly from the
non-profit? A related question: has anyone know of any instances where a
non-profit was actually fined $500 per day for not immediately allowing
someone to see its 990?
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3. Report on hazardous waste incinerators in South Carolina
Brian Lipsett writes:
Report on cement kiln incineration of haz waste in Holly
HIll and Harleyville, SC
Shows combination of corporate research, technical
analysis, and GIS
http://www.movementech.org:81/download/southcarolina/hollyhillreport.pdf
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4. Info on Spanish-speaking unionbusters
Rick Rehberg writes:
We are increasingly coming across a growing phenomenon in the unionbusting
movement -- Spanish speaking unionbusters! Companies are learning that its
easier to scare and manipulate Spanish speaking employees in their native
language, and are more frequently turning to the blatantly condescending
tactic of hiring unionbusters who appear to be "one of them."
The leaders in this field are Cruz and Associates,
www.cruzandassociates.com, and Carlos Restrepo. Cruz and Associates, owned
by Lupe Cruz, advertises on its website "bilingual consulting" in the area
of "union avoidance." Restrepo, who is based in Brownsville, TX, and
frequently works in conjunction with Cruz, is a fairly secretive figure.
Restrepo is a chronic non-filer of unionbuster disclosure Forms LM 20 and 21
(surprisingly the Department of Labor's enforcement of "direct persuader"
disclosure is weak, since they have done such an outstanding job making
union disclosure forms available on the Internet).
Cruz and Restrepo originally only worked in California, then branched out to
casinos and hotels in Las Vegas. In recent years, they are popping up in a
variety of industries and locations. I wanted to give everyone a heads up
to be on the lookout for these creeps, and since we have done a lot of
research on them, we would be very interested in swapping war stories with
anyone who comes across them. We've got some good stuff, but we need more.
Rick Rehberg, Research Director
Food and Allied Services Trades Dept. (FAST, AFL-CIO)
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Philip Mattera
pmattera@goodjobsfirst.org