Public Employee Press

Local 375 placed under administratorship by AFSCME

Lee Saunders, national president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, DC 37's parent union, placed Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375 under administratorship on Aug. 29 and appointed AFSCME Area Field Services Director John English to serve as the administrator and Chris Wilgenkamp, DC 37 director of technology and membership services, to serve as deputy administrator.

In an Aug. 29 letter on the administratorship, AFSCME President Saunders wrote, "I am of the opinion that the local is acting in violation of the International Constitution by its repeated engagement of conduct that violates several provisions of the Bill of Rights for Union Members, including their right to fair and democratic elections and their right to full participation in the decision making processes of the union."

Saunders said he is "of the opinion that such conduct cannot or will not be immediately remedied by the local."

Local 375 is one of DC 37's largest locals, with more than 7,000 members.

The local, which has a long history of fighting priatization, represents professional and technical workers in about 50 titles.

The job titles include Architects, Engineers, Chemists, Graphic Artists, Project Managers, Surveyors, Foresters and Highways and Sewers Inspectors.