Opportunity Lost at '1181'

The members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181, which represents school bus drivers and escorts and Access-A-Ride personnel, had a chance to make a clean break from the 30-year period in which the union was tied to organized crime. Unfortunately, they didn't take full advantage, electing three reformers to ranking union posts but giving the presidency to Michael Cordiello last week.

Mr. Cordiello served on the union's board when its then-president, Sal Battaglia, and secretary-treasurer, the late Julius "Spike" Bernstein, did the bidding of Genovese Crime Family boss Matthew "Matty the Horse" Ianniello. After indictments, followed by guilty pleas, took all three of those men out of the picture and the International ATU belatedly appointed an outside attorney to investigate its largest local, Mr. Cordiello led the rest of the remaining board members in refusing to answer questions from that attorney.

Yet he gained election last week by 182 votes—out of more than 7,000 cast—over John Bisbano, who headed the slate of the group pushing hardest for reform, Members for Change. Mr. Bisbano claimed Mr. Cordiello got some improper help from shop stewards loyal to the old regime who told members they would fill out their ballots for them, but he decided not to challenge the outcome.

While we would question the judgment of any union members who voted for Mr. Cordiello given his role in the local's tarnished past, blame also rests with two men formerly aligned with Members for Change who decided to break away and run on their own out of pique that they weren't chosen to be the group's nominee for president. Between them, Thomas Nero—who was one of its founders—and Raymond LaRoche received more than 840 votes. Neither made a particularly strong showing, given that Mr. Bisbano got three times as many votes as their combined total, but they siphoned away enough support to cost him the election.

That is what happens when egos overcome the motivation union members have for standing up against a corrupt regime: the desire to collectively make a change for a better, more-honest organization.

The reformers will have three voices for creating that sort of local on the union's board, with Jean C. Calixte as secretary-treasurer, Simon Jean-Baptiste as vice president and Brijida Pilgrim, who narrowly defeated Mr. Battaglia's son, Anthony, as the new first delegate.

But they will face an uphill struggle with Mr. Cordiello controlling Local 1181's reins, at a time when the reformers seemed poised to scale the mountain and bring full democracy to a union that sorely needs it.

Mr. Nero and Mr. LaRoche, as well as their supporters who desired reform, should be reflecting on whether what turned out to be vanity runs were worth the chance that was lost.