After 55 years on the job, Harry Nespoli, president of the Teamsters Local 831, the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association. retired on May 6, 2025. He had led the union since 2002. Nespoli said goodbye to the legions of the “Strongest” as the workers are known. Nespoli started his days very early in the morning in the union’s headquarters in downtown Manhattan, and he lauded the very difficult work of the members, saying, “These are blue-collared people…[they] work very hard for a living, loading 10 tons on a truck, it tears your body down.” He himself knew that by experience; he rode a sanit truck for 10 years. Nespoli secured an advantageous contract for the members in 2023, ensuring that a sanitation gig remains one of the most coveted of city jobs. The union’s long-serving vice president, Dennis Schock, will serve out the rest of Nespoli’s term, which runs through 2027.
Read the full story by Richard Khavkine, for The Chief, published May 6, 2025, here: https://thechiefleader.com/stories/nespoli-longtime-san-man-retires,54325?
