Misinformation on '375' Vote

To the Editor:

I would like to correct the misinformation presented to your readers last week.

The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees did not find anyone guilty of interfering with Chapter 37 of Local 375 elections, including President Claude Fort.

AFSCME gave a decision in response to Richard Gwasda and Dr. Paul Kazas, Chapter 37's members and candidates, raising the issue of members being able to come to vote after 5 p.m. Our voting time was originally set to be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Chapter 37's walk-in election was very successful, with at least 60-percent participation. The voting locations were changed; however they were changed within the same building, 59 Maiden Lane, and the second location was across the street from that address, with notices left in the original locations.

I have not seen anyone talking during the vote. No members of our chapter reported any members talking while in the voting location except Dr. Kazas.

We received a call from the Department of Transportation's Labor Relations Office notifying me to not use DOT's facilities for our election about 10 days before the election date. Nevertheless, the voting continued on the assigned date and the voting places were close to the original locations. Not a single member was turned away who wished to vote due to the new locations.

AHMED SHAKIR, President, Chapter 37, Local 375, District Council 37

Editor's note: The ruling issued by AFSCME Judicial Panel Chairman John Seferian ordering a new election for Chapter 37 stated, "It was undisputed that there were several voters sitting at each table filling out their ballots and in some instances, conversing with each other. It was also apparent that election committee members were not monitoring the voting tables. The undersigned finds that the voting procedures used did not comply with the secret ballot provision of the [AFSCME] Election Manual and Appendix D of the International constitution."