Public Employee Press

Delegates reject amendment for direct elections

At its meeting Oct. 25, the DC 37 Delegates Council rejected a proposal to change the method of electing District Council 37 officers from delegate voting to membership voting. The delegates voted 56 percent to 44 percent against a proposed amendment to the union’s constitution to change the voting system at DC 37.

In the roll call vote, delegates representing 66,877 members voted against the proposal while delegates representing 51,671 voted in favor. Under the DC 37 Constitution, a two-thirds vote (79,032) was required to pass the amendment.

With the rejection of the proposal, the top four officers (executive director, president, treasurer and secretary) and the 20 vice presidents on the executive board will continue to be chosen every three years by the 327-member Delegates Council, who are elected by the DC 37’s 121,000 members.

“DC 37 is a democratic union where those representing both sides of this issue had the opportunity to fully and freely express their views,” said Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “The DC 37 delegates, who are elected by the membership, have made their decision, and I will abide by it.”

The Oct. 25 vote marked the second time the union’s delegates rejected a proposal for direct membership elections.