Entire Board Unopposed
Clean Sweep by USA's Nespoli

By RICHARD STEIER

In a union noted for stable leadership over the 51 years of its modern incarnation, Harry Nespoli accomplished something unique last week: he became the first Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association President to be re-elected without opposition.

USA photo STAYING ON HIS ROUTE: Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association President Harry Nespoli got a new five-year term without opposition, leading a workforce he described as 'a bunch of people who know the job they have to do and they go out and do it well.'

Even the legendary John DeLury, who founded the early version of the union in 1935 and presided over the 1956-chartered edition through his retirement more than a decade (and one pungently effective garbage strike) later, had always faced at least one challenger. So had his successors, Ed Ostrowski and Pete Scarlatos, who handed the reins to Mr. Nespoli in 2003.

'Amazing' Cakewalk

And so, the USA president remarked during an Oct. 4 phone interview, the lack of opposition to both him and his board was "amazing, in this time with what unions are going through."

It undoubtedly didn't hurt him that less than three months ago he negotiated a new contract that provided 17-percent raises over four years and several other benefit improvements that were popular enough that it garnered a near-unanimous ratification by members.

But Mr. Nespoli said he believed a general feeling that his 6,600 members' concerns were being promptly addressed was at least as important as the wage terms in persuading any possible challengers that they would have been wasting their time.

"I have good people around me - my executive board and my business agents," he said. "I always thought a better-informed membership would be more responsive to the union."

He has made a point, he said, of diligently attending union chapter meetings at lodges throughout the five boroughs, and of distributing cards that list the phone numbers of every union official - including his home number - so that members know who and where to call with any problems.

His Kind of Workforce

Not every meeting is a love-fest, Mr. Nespoli continued, explaining, "It's not always pleasant, the things I sometimes have to tell them. But I just love dealing with this workforce. It's a bunch of people who know the job they have to do and they go out and do it well."

A 37-year veteran of the Sanitation Department, he became a USA trustee in 1980, making him the youngest member of the executive board. Mr. Nespoli ascended to be vice president in 1993 before succeeding Mr. Scarlatos a decade later.

The other board members returning for new five-year terms are Vice President Nicholas Pisano Jr., Secretary-Treasurer Michael Bove, Recording Secretary Anthony Lenza, and Trustees Anthony Rodriguez, Thomas Bacigalupo and Dennis Shock.