Incumbent Wins Easily
By LIZ HALLORAN
Charles LeConche was
re-elected ashead of the Laborers Local 230 Saturday by a more than 2-1
ratio, turning back a challenge by dissident member Stephen Manos.
"We got beat," Manos said Saturday afternoon outside the
union's Ledyard Street headquarters after the day-long voting ended. "I expected to
do better, but a lot of people we counted on - they didn't show up.''
Nearly 400 members of the 791- member local
voted; 276 cast their ballots for LaConche as business manager, 119 voted
for Manos. Manos had served as the local union's vice president.
The three members who joined LaConche on his slate easily defeated
candidates on the Manos team. Those elected were: Frank Freeman, vice president; and Wayne
Silva and James Lawson for the executive board.
Manos, a member of the union for 33 years, has been entangled in controversy since he decided two years ago to challenge LaConche for the local's key job. Last month he testified in Washington before a congressional subcommittee looking into union democracy, claiming he has been harassed and punished by LeConche since deciding to challenge him.