I'm Back: Gausman President Pro Tem

Gausman President Pro Tem

At last Wednesday Local 157 union meeting, Gerry Gausman defeated Dan Franco by a vote of 66 to 34 and was elected President Pro Tem.

Last June, Review Officer (RO) Dennis Walsh vetoed Local 157 President Patrick Nee. Since that time Vice President Tom McGonnigle has been fulling the duties of president, McGonnigle resigned his position last month. 

In compliance with Section 32 D, of the UBC Constitution, "In the absence of both the President and the Vice President, the Recording Secretary shall call the meeting to order and those present shall elect a President pro tem."   

Member's present nominated Dan Franco and Gerry Gausman for President pro tem.

This is not the first time Gausman has held elected office. Gausman was elected Vice President on December 7th, 2010 in a special executive board election in former Local 608 before UBC General President, Douglas McCarron, dissolved the local on December 14, 2010 and transferred all its members to Local 157.
 
Gausman was also was appointed Vice President pro tem in accordance with Section 32 B of the UBC Constitution, by President pro tem Mike Bilello, who was elected in accordance with Section 32 D, at a March 21, 2011 meeting.

Gausman, without explanation, then violated the UBC Constitution by failing to preside over the April 18th meeting. He then agreed with and participated with Mike Bilello in a scheme to defraud the membership by holding unconstitutional nominations for President pro tem, (which Bilello was elected again). The two then continued to run a hoax of a meeting for over three hours, whereby both he and Bilello told the membership "no one is in charge" of Local 157.

Gausman was defeated by Pat Nee and lost his position in an election held in June 2011.

Sources said that several council employees, including newly elected Council President Steve McInnis voted for Gausman.

"Gausman was actively campaigning for McInnis at a fundraiser at Jack Dempseys bar and at Thursdays presidential election in exchange for council support," the source said. 

Gausman, will now serve as President Pro tem until the local schedules an election sometime next year.

With over 9000 members, Local 157 is the largest local in the New York City District Council of Carpenters and the UBC.