Letters to the Editor
'372' Needs Mail-In Election

To the Editor:

The article about the lack of a democratic election process in Local 372 was excellent (May 18 issue). The 2,000 members who signed the petitions for direct mail-in-ballots to vote for the officers of Local 372 are courageous and desperate for a change in a local which has hindered the votes of members now for 38 years, counting Charlie Hughes's time at the helm.

From 1968 to 2005, which would include approximately 12 possible direct elections of officers in a way which would give members the greatest opportunity to vote, there has only been one real election which took place, and this was in 1999, when the local was given back to the members after being under an administratorship.

In 2002 and 2005, the direct elections of officers were hindered. Not only did the local insist there was no need to have voting take place throughout the boroughs in 2002, but when I protested the process and the way elections were held, AFSCME Judicial Panel Chairman John Seferian upheld the election.

Then in 2005, as I attempted to become president again, the local again held direct elections in one site for four hours with once again no regard for the number of members (25,000) who were in the local. To make the matter worse, again Mr. Seferian and the full Judicial Panel of AFSCME upheld the election. When the matter was presented for continued protest during the AFSCME convention, nothing happened. The parent union ignored more than 25,000 members for one person.

Local 372 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, Mr. Seferian and AFSCME President Gerald McEntee can't see the problem with this pattern of lack of participation by members to directly vote for officers. They have no desire to change the pattern of members not being able to vote for officers in a way which would allow greater participation, far beyond the fewer-than 1,100 members who voted in the last two elections.

Ms. Montgomery-Costa has one main interesting flaw in this equation; she has been a central part of the local for more than 35 years under the direction of Mr. Hughes. Her lack of respect and lack of skills to bring our local to a level in which we are respected by the city, school system, community and other unions with which we are affiliated is impressive, destroying our foundation. There is no incentive for her to change at all.

She must and will continue to treat the executive board (chapter chairs/secretaries) as if she is their boss, and hinder the ability of those members to have her realize how her controlling, childish and disrespectful ways have taken a toll on the membership for the past seven years.

It is no wonder she will not allow mail-in-ballots for members for direct voting of executive officers. If this were to happen, the truth would be expressed about the mismanagement we have had to endure from her lack of leadership and cunningly deceptive role as president.

The members aren't receiving the best quality of care under her leadership.

The picture looks grim with delegates not being able to think for themselves and the more-than 20 executive board officers (chapter chairs/secretaries) who are supposed to be accountable to the members moving to her beat.

And on top of this, she allowed the executive vice-president of Local 372 to present a motion to the membership during the last general membership meeting to stop members of the local who don't work in a district from participating in those district meetings.

Now we as members will have nine hours in one place to vote for the officers of the union. Sad.

None of this is surprising, but until the now-more-than 27,000 members realize how we have been mismanaged for the past 38 years, things will not change. It is time for real change.

In 2008, I'm hoping members will come out and express their disappointment in the local president by voting for new leadership.

LARRY LUTHER DAVIS