Early this month, one of the most powerful labor leaders in the country, John Coli Sr., Teamsters Joint Council 25 President, was indicted for extortion. Prosecutors allege he cheated a local business out of $100,000 in cash by “threatening work stoppages and other labor unrest unless he received cash payoffs of $25,000 every three months by the undisclosed business.” Court proceedings began last week. Coli plead not guilty.
