Moore Favored To Step Up for Ensley

'371' Leader Retiring
Moore Favored To Step Up for Ensley

The nomination of officers to lead Local 371 of District Council 37 resulted in a mostly uncontested landslide for the slate of presidential candidate Faye Moore, who is facing opposition but has the support of Charles Ensley as he retires after 26 years as president.

FAYE MOORE: Revels in local's activism.

Ballots Out April 8

The race between Vice President Moore and Johnnie Wertz will be decided by a mail ballot, which will be sent out on April 8 and must be returned by 9 a.m. April 30.

Efforts to reach Mr. Wertz at home and at work were unsuccessful.

Ms. Moore has worked for Local 371 since 1993 and was elected vice president the following year.

"We have a great history and we have a reputation for fighting," she said. "I want to continue that and I want to broaden the [number] of activists representing the union at their work locations."

Ms. Moore, whose grandmother took part in the 1965 welfare strike and whose mother worked for the Human Resources Administration, noted that there was a whole generation of members who were not well-acquainted with unions. "It was not part of their growing up like it was part of my growing up," she said, "but they're in a union job now, and I want them to feel that they are part of this."

Ms. Moore has long been Mr. Ensley's choice to succeed him. "Charles nominated me and if this ends tomorrow that will be one of the greatest honors of my life - that he nominated me," she said. "Hopefully people will have confidence that we can continue his legacy and create a legacy of our own."

Those Re-Elected

Incumbent Executive Vice President Yolanda Pumarejo, Secretary-Treasurer Joe Nazario, Vice President of Negotiations and Research Anthony Wells, Vice President of Organization and Education Beverly Mallory-Brown, and Vice President of Publicity and Community Relations Michelle Conklin will all serve another three-year term. Lloyd Permaul was elected to replace Ms. Moore as vice president of grievances and legal services and Michelle Akyempong is the new vice president of legislation and political action.

The local also elected six trustees, 19 DC 37 delegates and nine New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council delegates at the March 10 general membership meeting, all of whom ran uncontested as part of the Moore slate.