Public Employee Press

Eddie Rodriguez is elected president of DC 37

DC 37 delegates overwhelmingly elected Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez as president of the union on May 24.

"We will fight together to defeat Mayor Bloomberg's attempt to slash services, lay off workers and squander billions of taxpayers' dollars on outside contracts for work that public employees can do more efficiently," Rodriguez told delegates after his election.

Municipal Hospital Employees Union Local 420 President Carmen Charles and Sewage Treatment Workers Local 1320 President James Tucciarelli competed with Rodriguez for the presidency. The council's 300 delegates cast weighted ballots representing their locals' memberships.

The DC 37 Election Committee ran the balloting election, and the independent American Arbitration Association tallied the vote. The committee is chaired by Debbie Lane of Local 384 and includes Isabel Figueroa (Local 420), Joe Puleo (983), Donna Seale (957) and Paulette Sher (2021).

Rodriguez joined the city workforce in 1972 as a Clerk and worked his way up the civil service ladder. He quickly became active in the union and held several elected positions before becoming local president in 2001.

As Local 1549 president, Rodriguez has fought to increase salaries and benefits, save jobs, ensure workplace safety and promote civilianization at the Police Dept. Active in immigration issues, Rodriguez was the founder and served as co-chair of the Local 1549 Latino Heritage Committee. He is a former vice president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, an AFL-CIO group.

"Congratulations to Eddie on his election as president. He is a great example of the solidarity that makes us strong, speaking at rallies called by DC 37 locals and other unions. As president of Local 1549, he has inspired a high level of participation by members and encouraged the 'Next Wave' of younger leaders," Roberts said.

In February, Roberts was elected as a vice president of DC 37's parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. She will be sworn in at the next meeting of the International Executive Board. Rodriguez also represents DC 37 as an AFSCME vice president.

The DC 37's president's position and the vice president's position representing DC 37 on the AFSCME board were held by former Local 372 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, who retired earlier this year.