Public Employee Press

Former DC 37 Prez Veronica Montgomery-Costa is toasted at retirement

Veronica Montgomery-Costa retired Feb. 28 after a career that spanned almost four decades as a union activist and leader. She was president of Local 372 and DC 37 and an international vice president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Members and staff led by DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts and former AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy joined friends and elected officials April 8 at her retirement party.

"She has been a real leader, there's no doubt about that." said Roberts. "The working conditions of our members in the public schools are better because of her leadership."

Montgomery-Costa played a key role in organizing school drug counselors into the union and was instrumental in passing legislation to expand children's access to nutritious school meals and to require the school system to pay members interest on late payments. She was also instrumental in an AFSCME organizing drive in Indiana.

"It's been an honor to serve the members of Local 372 and to serve as president of DC 37," said the veteran activist, who was elected to lead Local 372 in 1999, when AFSCME lifted the administratorship it had imposed on the local, and became president of DC 37 in 2002.