Attorneys for a longtime member of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers union have sued the union in federal court for violating his rights when it expelled him in 2023.

In a complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, attorneys for Alan Adams allege that union officials brought “retaliatory charges” against Mr. Adams after he challenged a union official’s conduct. 

According to the complaint, the union committee that subsequently heard the case against Mr. Adams “ignored key exculpatory evidence and denied Mr. Adams the right to introduce additional exculpatory evidence to aid in his defense.”

Mr. Adams had been a member in good standing of SMART Local 33 for 50 years, even serving as an organizer for the union for seven years. Prior to the incident in question, Mr. Adams had never been subjected to any discipline by the organization, according to the filing. 

His attorneys claim the union violated his rights under the LMRDA when it “expelled him from the union and assessed an unconscionable fine.”

Mr. Adams was fined nearly $10,500 by the union. 

What has been described as a “bill of rights” for union members, the LMDRA is a federal law that establishes certain rights for union members and regulates internal union operations, including requirements for financial reporting, officer elections, and safeguards to protect union funds.

Also named as defendants in the suit are five union officials: President Tim Miller, Vice President Dave Larson, and business agents Corey Beaubian, Matthew Cherry, and Christopher Monaghan.

First Published March 4, 2025, 8:36 p.m.