O'Neill Elected To Head Suffolk Court Workers

O'Neill Elected To Head Suffolk Court Workers

Thomas P. O'Neill has been elected president of the Suffolk County Court Employees' Association, defeating John Jay Wastiewiz, 326 votes to 231.

Mr. O'Neill had been serving as the union's first vice president under former head Nicholas R. Galluzzi, who will be retiring. "I got 60 percent of the members who voted, which shows the majority of the people would like to keep things moving ahead," Mr. O'Neill said during a May 24 phone interview.

Started as Messenger

Mr. O'Neill began his career with the Office of Court Administration 27 years ago as a Driver Messenger transporting court documents and files in Suffolk County Supreme Court. He has been a union officer for nine years, starting as the recording secretary.

"I have made some changes in the union that have benefited people, and they trust me," he remarked, noting that the union's welfare fund has increased during his tenure. "We have a good rapport with management and our members."

The union represents approximately 975 state workers in over 70 titles working in Suffolk County. "The board more or less touches upon each one of those titles, so that we should be able to go and look at all the members' concerns," noted Mr. O'Neill, who will begin his three-year term June 1. The board includes members who served as Court Reporters, Court Clerks, and Court Assistants.

"It's a very tough job to run the union, because you are not dealing with one title and there is always talk about favoring one title," said Mr. Galluzzi, adding that he plans to move to Florida to spend more time with his two children.

Mr. O'Neill said he looks forward to working in conjunction with the state's other court employee unions. "I still want to keep the coalition and maybe broaden the coalition," he said, referring to a group of labor organizations that joined together to negotiate their contracts with the state last round of bargaining.

The other union officers elected were: Brian Mischo, 1st vice president; Marilyn Tufanisco, 2nd vice president; Elizabeth Roberts, secretary/treasurer; and Diane Ashley, recording secretary.