A local union chapter president has been forced out and the chapter has been placed in trusteeship following an altercation earlier this year.

According to a letter sent out on December 6 to local members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, or UFCW, local chapter 222 has been placed under the authority of the International Union following an incident in which president Dan Risner punched a man who was seeking to file a grievance with the union.

Court documents obtained by KCAU 9 show that on October 17 Risner got into a verbal argument with a man who was seeking to file a grievance on behalf of another union member at the chapter’s office in Sioux City. Authorities say that the two men left the office and continued to argue in the parking lot. According to court documents, Risner then punched the man in the face and caused a slight cut on the victim’s cheek.

Risner was originally charged with assault in connection to the incident, but later pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was fined $65.

In the letter to union members, UFCW’s International President Anthony Perrone said that their investigation into the incident “further revealed, among other things, that : the President (Risner) has engaged in angry outbursts directed at union members on prior occasions; members are fearful of the President because of his propensity for violence and angry outbursts, which has created a chilling effect among the membership; the President has not acted to address his anger issues or otherwise assure the members that they have no reason to be afraid of him; the Local Union Executive Board has not taken corrective action against the President; and members have threatened to resign if the President remains in office”.

The letter states that a hearing will be held in the next 30 days to discuss the matter. In the meantime, former officers from Local 222 are not authorized to represent the union in business affairs.

According to the Department of Labor, UFCW Local 222 represented 2,847 workers in Siouxland as of March 2018. Membership peaked during the 2014 reporting year at 3,963 members. According to the Department of Labor, Risner took over as President in 2015.

KCAU 9 reached out to the UFCW for comment, but our calls were not returned.

We’ll continue to bring you the latest information as soon as it becomes available.