Newly elected Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees president Terry Maccarrone to prioritize new contract for members

Members of Suffolk County’s largest municipal union voted in new leadership this week as challengers steamrolled their way onto the executive board of the Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees.

The newly elected board led by Terry Maccarrone, 56, of Sayville, ousted the current president and vice presidents by doubling the incumbent’s vote total. In an interview with Newsday Friday, Maccarrone said members felt they weren’t being paid properly, the current leaders didn’t communicate effectively and it appeared “like fiduciary responsibilities were abandoned.”

His win comes amid the union working this year without a contract, which Maccarrone said he intends to address. 

“Our purpose and our goal is transparency and responsiveness,” Maccarrone said. “We felt that the current administration had been in office for too long.”

Suffolk AME, based in Bohemia, represents some 6,000 active and 4,000 retired employees and includes 30 unit boards that lead different agencies ranging from the Department of Social Services to Suffolk County Community College, according to its website.

As president-elect, Maccarrone is set to replace Daniel C. Levler, who has served on the executive board since 2015. Maccarrone is currently a capital projects manager for the county Department of Public Works and owns Sayville Farmers Market. Maccarone totaled 1,424 votes compared to 653 for Levler, according to election results obtained by Newsday. 

Members of a third slate tallied between 63 and 102 votes for the president positions.

Messages left for Levler Friday were not returned.

Annette Mahoney-Cross, an assistant division administrator of social services, was elected executive vice president, replacing Thomas P. Moran. She received 1,419 votes compared to 641 for Moran.

The newly elected vice presidents are Robert Leech, Desiree Evangelista, Joanmarie Vaccaro and Joseph M. Callari.

Leech defeated Kelly Shivers (1,365-687), Evangelista defeated Stanley J. Humin, III (1,368-673), Vaccaro defeated Nicholas P.K. De Bello (1,361-713) and Callari beat Matthew Arendt (1,279-619). One independent candidate for fourth vice president received 182 votes.

Ana M. Cucciniello, the sitting treasurer, also won with 1,428 votes. Christina A. Maher, the current secretary, was reelected under the Levler-Moran slate. The Maccarrone team did not have a secretary candidate.

The new team takes office on July 1.

The change in leadership arrives as the union has been without a contract since the start of the year.

In 2019, the union ratified six-year, $127.5 million contract that saw raises of 12% through 2024, Newsday reported at the time.

Maccarrone said they've reached out to the current president and executive vice president to discuss transition and have not yet heard back as of Friday afternoon. 

He said he doesn't believe there have been "significant contract negotiations" and he said the contract is his "primary focus."

A spokesman for County Executive Edward P. Romaine declined comment on the union election and contract negotiations.

"We're ready to go when they're available to meet," Maccarrone said.

The Levler-Moran team in campaign materials said it had “worked tirelessly to enhance the employment rights and protections” of its members. The team had said it advocated for over 2,500 new positions and promotions and fought against a 15% health care contribution rate. The team highlighted efforts to enhance "members' work-life balance" with an additional holiday, mortgage support and enhanced retirement consulting, among others.

The Maccarrone team campaigned on goals to restore transparency, integrity and power to its members.

The election was held as the county ordered a “Child Fatality Review Team” first established about a decade ago to reconvene in wake of a Newsday investigation that found Child Protective Services had investigated numerous complaints of a mother whose 9-year-old son died in a wrong-way crash after her blood tested positive for methamphetamines.

Suffolk AME represents CPS caseworkers.

In a statement after the announcement, Levler wrote that the union “will fight vehemently against any process that is focused on a rush to judgement of our caseworkers or does not allow for due process.”

Maccarrone said he didn't believe that news was a "direct factor" in the election outcome.

"My job is to represent the members and protect them against any unfair accusations or implications, and also to make sure that the members have the tools and the proper staffing to do their job," he said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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