Public Employee Press

The members speak:
Lillian Roberts wins as executive director
Veronica Montgomery-Costa, president; Cliff Koppelman, secretary; Maf Misbah Uddin, treasurer

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

Lillian Roberts won re-election as executive director in District Council 37’s first contested election for its top leadership posts. “My re-election tells me that the membership wants leaders who are dedicated to putting the members first,” said Ms. Roberts.

When she was first elected executive director in 2002, Ms. Roberts became the first African-American woman to head DC 37, the city’s largest municipal union with 125,000 members and 50,000 retirees.

“Now, with the continued support of the membership, we will negotiate a fair contract,” she said.

The DC 37 delegates also elected the top officers on Ms. Roberts’ slate. They re-elected incumbent President Veronica Montgomery-Costa and chose Maf Misbah Uddin as treasurer and Cliff Koppelman as secretary.

Top officers
Ms. Roberts defeated Social Service Employees Union Local 371 President Charles Ensley in the council-wide election held at the Jan. 27 Delegates Council meeting and monitored by the American Arbitration Association.

Ms. Montgomery-Costa, president of Dept. of Education Employees Local 372, defeated United Federation of Nurses and Epidemiologists Local 436 President Gloria Acevedo. Mr. Uddin, president of Accountants, Statisticians and Actuaries Local 1407, won against incumbent Mark Rosenthal, president of Motor Vehicle Operators Local 983.

Mr. Koppelman, president of Court, County & Probation Employees Local 1070, beat Carolyn Harper, president of Dept. of Education Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1251.

“I am proud that the members have acknowledged through this election that I have the knowledge, temperament and experience needed to lead this great union,” Ms. Roberts said.

“I pledge to work tirelessly for a fair contract. I will continue to fight to protect our members’ rights and benefits and to win respect for their dedication and hard work.”

Snowstorm
During the heavy snowstorm that took place the evening of the election, the top officers were sworn in at 12:30 a.m. along with the 20 vice presidents from the non-5-percent locals and the vice presidents from the five largest locals, which each represent at least 5 percent of the membership. All were elected to 3-year terms.

Four of the 5-percent locals elected their vice presidents at the Nov. 25 delegates meeting. They are Faye Moore, Local 371’s vice president of grievances and legal services; Santos Crespo, Local 372 executive vice president; Eddie Rodriguez, president of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549; and Carmen Charles, president of Hospital Employees Local 420.

The delegates of the fifth, Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375, elected Local President Claude Fort Jan. 27 in a run-off election.

Forty candidates competed for the 20 vice president positions that represent the non-5 percent locals. The DC 37 Election Committee, chaired by Local 1549 Executive Vice President Lenora Gates, presided over the election. The other members of the committee are Deborah Lane, Local 384; Phyllis McLean, Local 957; Joe Napolitano, Local 1320; and Joe Puleo, Local 983.

After Ms. Gates explained the electoral process to the delegates, Mr. Puleo called all the candidates “winners” as symbols of the vibrant democracy of the union.

“Tomorrow, no matter who wins, we will have a great union, because we have democracy here,” he said.

Vice presidents
The 20 elected vice presidents from the non-5-percent locals are Donald Afflick, Transit Authority Local 1655 president; Leonard Allen, Off-Track Betting Corp. Local 2021 president; Patrick Bahnken, Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 president; Ralph Carbone, Rent Regulation Services Local 1359 president; Dr. Leonard Davidman, Psychologists Local 1189 president; Magda DeJesus, Real Property Managers Local 1219 president.

Also, Gene DeMartino, Construction Laborers, Highway Repairers &Watershed Maintainers Local 376 president; Victor Emanuelson, Prevailing Rate Local 1087 president; Juan Fernandez, Amalgamated Professional Employees Local 154 president; Barbara Henderson, Health Services Local 768 executive vice president; Michael Hood, Attendants, Park Service Workers, City Park Workers & Debris Removal Employees Local 1505 president; Edward W. Hysyk, Electronic Data Processing Personnel Local 2627 president; Ray Markey, New York Public Library Guild Local 1930 president. Also, Mickey McFarland, DOT Supervisory Employees Local 1157 president; Alex Parker, Juvenile Center Employees Local 1457 president; Louis Sbar, AFSCME Local 299 president; Robert Schirmer, Metropolitan Museum Local 1503 president; John Socha, Queens Library Guild Local 1321 president; James Tucciarelli, Sewage and Senior Sewage Treatment Workers Local 1320 president; and Edna Williams, Custodial Employees Local 1597 president.