Corruption and Democracy Go Hand in Hand

c

c c

S

   
       AMID THE ongoing revelations of corruption in the municipal employee unions and the new investigations of the construction trades, it's jarring to hear it said things are looking bright in the world of union democracy. But they are, insists one observer. "The state of democracy in New York City unions is very vibrant right now," said Carl Biers, whose organization, the Brooklyn-based Association for Union Democracy, serves as watchdog and advocate for rank-and-file unionists. "The city is witnessing an explosion of rank-andfile insurgency," Biers said. "People see other successes and they see what's possible." Such was the case this month in Local 420 of the New York City Hospital Employees, a District Council 37 local, which saw its first contested election in more than a quarter century. Carmen Charles, a 15-year surgery technician at Coler/Goldwater Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island, was elected vice president of the 9,000-member union. "The members are disgruntled with the way things are," Charles said. "The problem is with

the president." Not so, said local president James Butler, who has been in office since 1972. "My job has been superb," he said. Democracy is also sprouting in the locals where the worst of the DC 37 corruption festered. The 26,000-member Local 372, former roost of ex-president Charles Hughes, is holding its first election since it was placed under trusteeship in February 1998. Hughes, who pulled down $241,000 a year as leader of school cafeteria workers and crossing guards, is under indictment for bilking the union of an astounding $2.6 million. He has pleaded not guilty. Three members are squaring off in a contest for his post. The candidates are Alisa Rogosin, who served as chief of staff under Hughes; Veronica Montgomery-Costa, a union lobbyist and Harry Evans, a cafeteria worker. The election is set for June 24. Democracy also elbowed its way into the District Council of Carpenters, where national union officials seized control of the 22,000-member organization three years ago, citing corruption. In the first post-trusteeship election, members of Local 2287 of the flooring workers, one of the council's locals, elected as president Michael Zemski, who had been appointed representative

by the council's trustees. Zemski, who ran on the "Clean Slate," shocked employers last year when he told federal labor investigators about a bribe attempt by two contractors who were later arrested. Carpenters are in for a bigger dose of democracy when long-awaited councilwide elections bring an end to the trusteeship. No election schedule has been announced, but it's expected most local votes will be held in September, with council executives picked in December, according to the union. The carpenters union, which is under a federal consent decree, is now going it alone. Its courtappointed monitor, former federal judge Kenneth Conboy, stepped down this month. A victory for democracy is also being claimed by supporters of a popular transit union leader. Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Willie James has agreed to reinstate ousted union activist Roger Toussaint to his post as chairman of the 1,800-member Track Division. James had originally removed Toussaint, a political foe, from his union post after the track chairman was fired from his job by the Transit Authority for being in a union vehicle during working hours. But Toussaint backers held rallies and wore buttons in his support and the

local's executive board voted 21 to 3 last month to bring him back. In a June 14 letter to Toussaint, James wrote: "In light of the special circumstance surrounding your case, I will recommend to the Executive Board . . . that you continue as a elected chairperson of the Track Division while you challenge your discharge in the district court."