Local unions appear to be pushing back as well against the proposed Mount Vernon Charter Revisions. In a letter sent out early Wednesday afternoon, Ernie Richardson – President, Local 107, FDMV, and Robert Richardson of Teamsters Local 456 are encouraging the report to be voted against.
“We are not seeking favoritism; we are seeking fairness, transparency, and respect. The men and women we represent dedicate their lives to Mount Vernon. They deserve to have a seat at the table—not to be left in the dark while decisions that affect their livelihoods and communities are made behind closed doors. This proposal, in its current form, is incomplete, unexamined, and unworthy of adoption. For the sake of democratic accountability, fiscal responsibility, and labor justice, we urge you to vote NO,” the letter states. See the letter in its entirety below:
As the union president of Local 107, Mount Vernon Firefighters Union, and a representative of the unions that support and sustain Mount Vernon’s essential services—those who keep our city clean, functioning, and safe—we write to express our collective and unequivocal opposition to the adoption of the Charter Review Final Report in its current form.
Despite public claims of inclusiveness and community engagement, the process undertaken by this Commission has glaringly failed to involve Mount Vernon’s labor unions in any meaningful or substantive way. Most notably, there has been no consultation with Local 107, firefighters uion members risk their lives daily to protect this city. These are the individuals who run into burning buildings when others are running out. Excluding them from discussions about the structure of city government is not only a policy failure; it is a profound insult to Mount Vernon’s Bravest. Many of our firefighters live in the city they serve, and their voices are indispensable in shaping decisions that will impact public safety, emergency response coordination, and municipal accountability. Their exclusion from the charter review process is a slap in the face to those who have dedicated their lives to protecting this community.
Including firefighters in municipal restructuring efforts—such as charter revisions—is essential. Fire departments are foundational components of city operations, and changes in government structure can directly affect chain of command, emergency response funding, collective bargaining, and long-standing operational protocols. In cities across the country, fire unions have rightfully insisted on a seat at the table during charter reviews to ensure that any governmental transition does not compromise public safety or labor protections. Mount Vernon must do the same.
In addition to ignoring the firefighters, there has been no direct outreach to the leadership or members of Teamsters Local 456, which represents the dedicated personnel in our Department of Public Works, sanitation services, Recreation Department, water department and public safety—including certain employees within the police and fire departments. No communication has been made with CSEA, which represents hundreds of school and municipal employees. Likewise, there has been no engagement with 1199SEIU or the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), who serve our city’s healthcare needs and represent a substantial portion of Mount Vernon’s workforce.
A government cannot responsibly restructure itself while excluding the very individuals who make its operations possible. The proposal to transition from a strong mayoral system to a city manager model was developed and advanced:
- Without any financial impact study available to the public
- Without a clear implementation or transition plan
- Without an assessment of how current collective bargaining agreements will be maintained or renegotiated
- Without identifying who would serve as the city’s chief bargaining authority under the new structure—or seeking any input from unions on whether this is acceptable
This level of opacity is not just disappointing; it is dangerous from both a labor and fiscal standpoint. The proposal threatens to upend years of progress in labor relations and jeopardize job security for countless city employees.
- Authority Shift: The power to negotiate labor contracts may move from an elected official to an unelected administrator, introducing ambiguity and potential delays in contract negotiations, grievance procedures, and arbitration enforcement.
- Privatization & Reclassification Risks: City manager systems are often used to justify outsourcing and departmental reorganization—moves that weaken unions, eliminate positions, and erode the quality of public services.
- Disruption of Legal Norms: Without a structured transition plan, it is unclear how Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), grievance timelines, and arbitration clauses will be honored or enforced.
- Loss of Institutional Trust: Our unions have built longstanding, constructive relationships with city leadership. Transferring decision-making to a new, disconnected administrator risks turning those partnerships into adversarial relationships.
The Commission has not answered a critical question: How will existing union contracts be honored during and after this transition?
From Westchester County to Albany, organized labor has long stood against opaque efforts to undermine public sector workers and weaken democratic accountability.
- Teamsters Local 456 has fought vigorously to protect frontline workers across Mount Vernon, Yonkers, and New Rochelle from privatization and anti-union policy shifts.
- In the 1970s and 1980s, fire and DPW unions nationwide resisted city manager schemes that prioritized fiscal expediency over worker protections and community welfare.
- In New York City, unions rightly warned that Mayor Giuliani’s 1990s privatization efforts would harm working-class communities, especially Black and Latino families. Those warnings came true.
Today, this proposal in Mount Vernon shows similar red flags: exclusion, haste, lack of transparency, and disregard for labor rights.
We strongly urge this Commission to:
- Vote NO on the current version of the final report.
- Restart the charter review process—this time with robust and meaningful participation from labor unions.
- Commission a full fiscal and legal impact study before recommending any structural government changes to the voters. This study must be provided to all Mount Vernon residents, stakeholders, and unions well in advance of any Commission vote.
We are not seeking favoritism; we are seeking fairness, transparency, and respect. The men and women we represent dedicate their lives to Mount Vernon. They deserve to have a seat at the table—not to be left in the dark while decisions that affect their livelihoods and communities are made behind closed doors. This proposal, in its current form, is incomplete, unexamined, and unworthy of adoption. For the sake of democratic accountability, fiscal responsibility, and labor justice, we urge you to vote NO.
In Solidarity,
Ernie Richardson
President, Local 107, FDMV
Robert Richardson
Teamsters Local 456
