A Referendum on Costa?
Fierce Battle Looms For Local 372 Seat

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The re-run of the election for an executive board seat at District Council 37's Local 372 has been set for Feb. 11, and unusually intense campaigning is under way.

TONY FERINA: 'A watchdog for members.'

Incumbent Lillie Taylor is facing a challenge from Tony Ferina, who had previously been barred from running by the local, to be the chair of the 14,000-member School Aides chapter.

Getting Out Their Voters

The polls at DC 37's downtown Manhattan headquarters will be open from noon until 8 p.m., and both sides have rented vehicles to transport members to the voting site from their workplaces at schools scattered throughout the five boroughs. Only 33 people turned out to vote in the previous election held Nov. 13.

The election has turned into a proxy war between President Veronica Montgomery-Costa and dissident forces that want to unseat her in June.

"There has to be somebody on the executive board to be a watchdog for the members of Local 372," said Mr. Ferina, who ran on an opposition slate in the 2005 presidential election. "This will prepare us for the June election."

VERONICA MONTGOMERY-COSTA: Ally faces challenge.

Local 372 originally barred Mr. Ferina from running, claiming that the member who nominated him was not in good standing. The local's parent union ruled Jan. 10 that Mr. Ferina should not have been disqualified.

Attempts to speak with Ms. Taylor through Local 372 and DC 37 were unsuccessful last week. Ms. Montgomery-Costa is backing her campaign.

Both candidates and their supporters have been hitting the streets, meeting members outside of schools before and after work, handing out flyers and lobbying for their votes.

Mr. Ferina said the central reason he was running was so that members would know what happened at the executive board meetings. He does not believe he will be able to muster enough votes to serve as an effective counterweight to Ms. Montgomery-Costa. "I'll be outnumbered every time," he said, "but I will inform the members of what takes place."

In particular, Mr. Ferina said he wants to have first-hand knowledge of any raises given to union officers, decisions with regard to how dues money is spent, and how much is allocated for weekend retreats for the local's shop stewards.

Hopes to Boost Turnout

Mr. Ferina's supporters have organized themselves into outreach teams, with each volunteer to cover about five schools. The vans that have been rented for the day of the election will make return trips from the boroughs throughout the day. Mr. Ferina, who is planning to run on Larry Luther Davis's slate challenging Ms. Montgomery-Costa in June, noted that the team would use the opportunity to speak to supporters about organizing their friends to vote in the union officers' election to further boost turn-out. In the 2005 election, about 547 members, or 2 percent of the local, voted.

The dissidents have long advocated for a mail-in ballot since members work and live in all five boroughs, and many work two jobs. They believe requiring members to travel to lower Manhattan has significantly depressed turn-out.

Ms. Taylor is also renting vehicles to transport supporters.

Expenses have run into the thousands of dollars, including a few hundred from Mr. Ferina's own pocket. "Hey, freedom and democracy costs," he said.