Rowe Unseats Flanagan As President of NYSCOBA; Prevails in Runoff

New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association President Larry Flanagan lost his re-election bid in a runoff with challenger Donn Rowe, prompting a change at the top as the union prepares for a contract arbitration.

LARRY FLANAGAN: Ousted in runoff vote.

The runoff was necessary after none of three candidates running for president got 50 percent of the vote in the original election two months ago. NYSCOPBA did not release the vote tallies. The officers were elected to three-year terms ending May 2011.

Was Legislative Chair

Mr. Rowe is a 26-year veteran of the state. He served for the last seven years as legislative chair at NYSCOPBA. He campaigned on a platform of transparency in the union and also cited his political experience. "I think it was more style of leadership and experience" that won him the election, he said.

Mr. Rowe said he was pleased with the new slate of officers because there is a good mix of returning officers and fresh blood. "I believe we have finally matured as a union," he said.

Chris Hickey, who started as a New York State Correction Officer in 1987, was elected executive vice president running as an independent. John Telisky, who ran unopposed, was elected treasurer. Diane Davis will remain as the recording secretary. Randy Page was elected to represent the Northern Region. Willie Perez won election in the Southern Region. Jerry Dewitt will represent Law Enforcement and the Sergeant Liaison will be Dave Viddivo.

Contract Arbitration Looms

NYSCOPBA is awaiting binding arbitration of its contract dispute before the state Public Employees Relations Board. Mr. Telisky said the union does not have a specific date, but believes it will go before PERB soon. He declined to discuss the raises NYSCOPBA is seeking. "We made a decision we weren't going to divulge at this time," he said.

Once the panel is in place, the union will be more forthcoming, Mr. Telisky said.

Both Mr. Telisky and Mr. Hickey said they were optimistic about the pending arbitration. "There is always a give and take, and our position is we work in a very hostile environment," said Mr. Telisky. In the Patrolman's Benevolent Association's recent PERB arbitration, NYPD police officers sacrificed a vacation day and more extensive vacation and benefit cuts for future officers to give the city some savings. "We don't believe our members should have to give anything back," Mr. Telisky said. "We believe our members deserve more and should be compared to the best law-enforcement in the country."

Righted the Fiscal Ship

Albany-based NYSCOPBA has streamlined operations over the last year to save money for its members. "When I took over this job [last] July I inherited the Titanic," said Mr. Telisky, a 24-year veteran of the union. "I was able to right the ship and now we have money in the bank."

Today, there are fewer employees in the union, he said. NYSCOPBA rented part of its building in Albany to tenants to keep cash flow high. The union condensed everything from Internet lines to phone lines to save money.

NYSCOPBA, the state's largest law-enforcement union, represents 25,000 members. The union first went to arbitration in December 2005 after Governor Pataki signed legislation in 2002 that granted it that right. Under the unanimous three-person PERB decision, which ran through March 31, 2007, officers received a 2.25-percent hike retroactive to April 1, 2003, and a 2.75-percent raise retroactive to April 1, 2004. Officers also received a 3-percent raise retroactive to April 1, 2005 and another 3-percent hike April 1, 2006.

On June 13, the old NYSCOPBA negotiating team met with the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at PERB. GOER made an across-the-board offer of 9-percent raises spread over four years. NYSCOPBA chose arbitration.