Public Employee Press

Snapshots

Edited by ALFREDO ALVARADO

Four locals celebrate milestone

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees recognized four District Council 37 locals that reached their 50th and 25th anniversary as members of the biggest, baddest public employee labor union in the nation.

At the September DC 37 Delegates meeting, Executive Director Henry Garrido presented commemorative plaques to mark the milestone to President Gene DeMartino of Local 376 NYC Construction Laborers, Highway Repairers and Watershed Maintainers; President Gary Brown of Local 1062 Supervisors of Automotive Plants and Equipment Employees; President Michael Coppola of Local 1157 NYC Department of Transportation Supervisory Employees, and President Vincent Variale of Local 3621 Uniformed EMS Officers Union.

"These local unions were organized in an era of unprecedented social change in America," Garrido said. "Federal laws were enacted in the 1960s to lift millions out of poverty as a result of thousands who joined the labor movement to stand up for working families, and fight for better wages, pensions and work working conditions."