South Bay : Union Urges Hiring Full-Time Janitors

The union representing non-management employees in the Inglewood Unified School District says the district could help avoid future embezzlement problems if it would hire more full-time, permanent custodians.

Head custodian Andrew Lee Truesdale was arrested by Inglewood police last week on suspicion of embezzling $430,000 from the school district and was released from jail Tuesday because police lacked the evidence to hold him. Union spokesman Christopher Graeber believes the alleged misappropriation of funds could have been prevented if the district had hired more permanent employees instead of relying on temporary staff.

Truesdale allegedly hired 77 bogus employees and falsified time cards.

Graeber said the California Professional Employees Union submitted a proposal Wednesday that calls for more full-time staff. Eliminating temporary employees would prevent the constant additions and changes to the payroll that made the embezzlement possible, he said.