Auto Mechanics’ Union Leader Colangelo Is Re-Elected Unopposed

JOSEPH COLANGELO: Will continue battling city. Service Employees International Union Local 246 President Joseph Colangelo has been re-elected unopposed to his second four-year term as leader of the 1,500-member union that represents Auto Mechanics and similar titles in several city agencies.

Elected along with Mr. Colangelo were Vice President Charles Pastorelli, Secretary-Treasurer Raymond Schacor, Recording Secretary James Grillo, Sentinel Phillip Mazal and Trustee John Cox.

‘We Keep City’s Wheels Turning’

“Fighting on behalf of members has been an honor for me and my board. We’ll continue to fight for working men and women throughout the city,” Mr. Colangelo said in a phone interview. “We’re not always the ones who are out there on the front pages, but without their contribution to the City of New York, it would grind to a halt.”

He said that the biggest fight of his first term involved the long negotiations with the Mayor and then the City Council over the easing of residency restrictions on members, which was first negotiated into bargaining agreements in 2006 but was approved by the Council only after a requirement was added that civil servants live in the city for two years before they could outside of the five boroughs.

Mr. Colangelo anticipated future battles on budget cuts, contributions by unions to their health-care costs and Tier 5 pensions. “It’s more important than ever to be out there to fight on behalf of our members. I in no way apologize for the benefits my members receive. They’re hard-fought,” he said. “I oppose Tier 5. . . the employees are becoming the scapegoats for what went on in the financial world. We didn’t cause the problem, but we’re being used as a tool for its solution.”

Local 246 has nine contracts, representing the vast majority of its membership, that will expire in 2010. All of the contracts, which were negotiated last year, followed the municipal pattern of two 4-percent wage increases.