At a jam-packed meeting Oct. 9, Local 1549 delegates cheered as Executive Vice President Lenora D. Gates announced that DC 37’s parent union had ended the local’s administratorship.
With financial safeguards, structural reforms and a new leadership team in place, administratorship of the 22,000-member local was lifted, effective Sept. 26, by Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, DC 37 parent union.
“We have taken this step because the local is now fiscally sound and democracy has been restored to the members,” said DC 37 Administrator Lee Saunders.
“Dues and spending have been reduced, constitutional reforms have put financial safeguards in place, and members have elected new officers in a vote that was conducted by the independent American Arbitration Association,” Mr. Saunders said. “Local 1549 is now a strong, forceful union where the voice of the members is being heard.”
Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriquez was sworn in July 16 with Executive Vice President Gates, 2nd Vice President Ralph Palladino, 3rd Vice President Cheryl Minor, Secretary-Treasurer Jose Luis Cruz and Recording Secretary Loretta Y. Jones.
“This is a great day for our local,” said Mr. Rodriquez. “The local once again belongs to the members, and Local 1549 members are ready for change.”
Since the election, the DC 37 Education Fund has been training the newly elected officers in effective fiscal management, procedures for conducting meetings and other leadership issues. “That’s just the beginning,” said Mr. Rodriquez.
“We plan to concentrate on service to the members and enhancing their education, computer skills and training,” he said. “We will have additional training for our activists, delegates, chapter chairs, shop stewards, Executive Board and staff — particularly in the area of finances. We want to go by the book.”
Local 1549 is now stepping out on its own for the first time since AFSCME imposed the administratorship on March 6, 1999, after an audit — conducted for the union by the independent accounting firm KPMG — found substantial fiscal irregularities under the previous leadership.