Public Employee Press

DC 37 honors Puerto Rico's labor leaders

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

The DC 37 Latino Heritage Committee celebrated Puerto Rican Heritage Week at union headquarters Nov. 18 with a program dedicated to union activists from Puerto Rico. Although the committee learned at the last minute that the leaders of Servidores Publicos Unidos-Council 95 could not attend, disappointment didn't stop them from honoring SPU's accomplishments.

Council 95 led the struggle in Puerto Rico last year that restored collective bargaining rights, which had been suspended in 2009. SPU, which represents 23,000 Puerto Rican government employees in 12 public agencies, is part of DC 37's national union, the 1.6- million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The island-based local was founded in 1995 as a result of a historic organizing drive that bought many activists from DC 37 to Puerto Rico to help. Among the DC 37 volunteers in the organizing drive were Local 372 president and Latino Heritage Committee Chair Santos Crespo Jr., SSEU Local 371 Executive Vice President Yolanda Pumarejo and Secretary-Treasurer Joe Nazario, Blue Collar Division Director José Sierra, Schools Division Assistant Director Myrna Cabranes, Council Reps Raul Martinez, Felicita Creque, David Catala and Frank Maldonado and Local 372 activist Mariana Miranda.

"We were all very proud to be a part of that movement," said Crespo at the celebration.

After many years at the helm, Crespo announced that he was stepping down as the chair of the committee. "It's been an honor to be a part of this for so many years," he said.

DC 37 and Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez, DC 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido and Committee Vice Chair Carmen Flores congratulated Crespo for his many years of service to the members.