Wagner Makes a Twilight Run for '1183' Presidency; Had Led Local for 33 Years

Richard Wagner is an opinionated man.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James SEEKING A REMATCH: Richard Wagner, who led Communications Workers of America Local 1183 for 33 years until losing a 2005 election to Nicholas Zimmitti, is trying to win back the job in next month's vote by Board of Elections workers.

"Terrible coffee," he said with a wince during an interview at a café in Brooklyn Heights.

The retired city Board of Elections worker, who was president of Local 1183 of the Communications Workers of America for 33 years until he was defeated in 2005 by Nicholas Zimmitti, is running again in the local's Jan. 7 election.

Caustic Words for Bd. Critic, Rival

And as quick as he is to give the label "two-bit politicians" to elected officials critical of the board such as Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who called for it to be abolished last week, Mr. Wagner is equally eager to negatively assess Mr. Zimmitti's record on addressing grievances in the 350-member local during his three-year term.

The Chief-Leader/Alana Marcu THE INCUMBENT'S CASE: Communications Workers of America Local 1183 President Nicholas Zimmitti said that in his three years at the helm he has been able to save the union's endangered health and welfare fund and process a grievance regarding mandatory overtime for city Board of Elections workers.

 

 

 

"He got off on the wrong starting place," said Mr. Wagner, who helped organize the board in 1968. "I don't think he got the proper training. Or he's ignoring it."

Mr. Wagner cited a case of a worker who went out on medical leave and when she returned, her first paycheck was for 30 cents. While the union is working on her case, he alleged that Mr. Zimmitti wasn't sharing information with her.

"He doesn't talk to her about it," he said. "She talks to me about it."

Mr. Wagner also pointed out that before November's U.S. presidential election, board employees were working 12-hour days seven days a week. Under normal rules, workers were to get the 13th day off. But this wasn't happening, he said, which had an adverse impact on workers' health and efficiency. He alleged that because of worker fatigue, 1,700 voter registrations got misplaced and were found only after the election. Mr. Wagner faulted Mr. Zimmitti for not getting a hearing before the election to cease the mandatory overtime.

A Ruling for Future

In a phone interview, Mr. Zimmitti said the union adequately addressed the situation.

"We actually did go to the Office of Labor Relations because we thought these calls for mandatory overtime were not only unfair but counter-productive," he said. "We did have a hearing, but we still do not have a decision on it. The decision is moot, but we will have a decision and in the future we hope that when management here decides to impose such Draconian measures, that they will think twice."

Mr. Zimmitti took over the reins of Local 1183 in 2005, after running on a platform of dissatisfaction with the contracts that Mr. Wagner had negotiated. Mr. Wagner said that he never got the raises he wanted for BOE workers, who he said started at $26,000 per year, because the union often followed a pattern set by District Council 37.

"You never think that you got a good deal," Mr. Wagner said about contract negotiations. "There was very little wiggle room. There's almost nothing that can be done about it."

Zimmmitti Claims Gains

Mr. Zimmitti said his term showed improvement in collective bargaining.

"We did do a lot of good work in getting the last contract settled and getting more money for our health and welfare funds to shore up our benefits," he said. "When I came in we were in financial dire straits with the health and welfare funds, and with the help of CWA District 1, we've done much better and we're actually in a decent position now."

He continued that when he became president, "We had about $45,000 in the bank, total. Now we have about $105,000 in the bank, so we are in a better financial position and I'd like to continue."

This was another point Mr. Wagner challenged, claiming that Mr. Zimmitti had not conducted proper audits.

'What Are They Spending On?'

"You don't know what they're spending it on," Mr. Wagner said, vowing to keep members informed on financial and other affairs through a regular newsletter, which he maintained during his tenure.

The two men do have common ground. They both believe that government officials and groups like the Public Interest Research Group unfairly characterize the city election process as problematic. Mr. Wagner argued that the ancient lever voting machines New York is known for are actually more accurate and more accountable than the electronic voting machines other states are using.

"It's a whipping boy," he said of the board.

Responding to cries from Borough President Stringer that the board is tainted by workers with political appointments, Mr. Zimmitti admitted that many of the workers got their positions through political connections but said that "we do not play politics with the election. We really have an honest love for the city and what we do."

Unfinished Business

Mr. Wagner said he wanted to return to the union to negotiate higher wages and prevent workers from being overworked. Mr. Zimmitti said he wanted to continue at the local to address what he called "deplorable conditions" at the board's warehouses, noting that members had found mouse dropping at the locations.

"None of them are air-conditioned, and the heat we're having issues with," he said.