Honolulu union leader retires after being placed on leave

HONOLULU (AP) — The leader of a Honolulu union covering thousands of electrical workers throughout the state retired amid an investigation into the organization’s finances.

Brian Ahakuelo said Tuesday he retired from his position as business manager and financial secretary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260. His resignation comes after he was placed on administrative leave Friday pending the outcome of the investigation.

The union’s international office says the local union was placed in trusteeship “in order to investigate and correct financial issues that have arisen in the local.”

“Our priority is always to protect our members’ rights and to guarantee that their dues are used in an appropriate and transparent manner,” said Mark Brueggenjohann, spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Washington, D.C. “We will continue our trusteeship until there is full clarity on all financial issues and corrective measures have been implemented.”

According to the union’s 2015 financial report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, Ahakuelo made $201,712 last year. His wife, son and daughter-in-law also work for the union.

Ahakuelo maintains he did nothing wrong.

“What’s going on right now is not a negative thing,” he said. “It’s actually a positive thing because there’s no improprieties. There’s no illegal or improper activities. There was no criminal intent of any sort. There’s nothing that I have done wrong or as far as I know my staff has done wrong in local union office. All we’ve done is raise the standard for our membership to have the abilities today to live a middle-class lifestyle in the state of Hawaii.”

Ahakuelo was one of 19 union members placed on leave.