Public Employee Press

Local 1549 honors retiring labor veterans

The union gave a warm sendoff to four longtime Local 1549 and Clerical-Administrative Division employees on Nov. 15.

As noted by Brett Koch, emcee of the party at DC 37, the retiring veteran employees served a combined 133 years at the union.

The honored retirees were Dan Persons, who worked over the years as the assistant to the president of Local 1549, director of the Clerical-Administrative Division, and a DC 37 researcher; Council Rep Sheila Rabb; Grievance Rep Pat Solomon; and Beverly Ostrander, the local's grievance coordinator.

The local presented gifts and plaques to the honorees, and speakers reminisced about the long hours they spent together building the union, fighting management abuses and providing services to members.

Speakers included Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez, DC 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido, Local 1549 Executive Vice President Alma Roper, Clerical-Administrative Division Director Renee Gainer, Hospitals Division Director Audrey D. McConney, SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells, Local 957 President Walthene Primus, DC 37 staff union President Nathaniel Hurt Jr. and Vice President Moira Dolan, former Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan, former Clerical- Administrative Director Ron Arnero, former DC 37 Executive Director Stanley Hill and former Local 1549 1st Executive Vice President James Edey.

"I love you all and I will miss you," Ostrander said.

"I love my union family," Solomon said.

"I thank all of you for what you have done for me on and off the job," Rabb said.