Our History

In 1965, then–Nassau County Executive Eugene Nickerson explored the possibility of purchasing a sludge barge to transport garbage from Nassau County out to sea. At the time, the United Marine Division—then affiliated with the National Maritime Union (AFL-CIO)—was led by Captain Joseph M. O’Hare.

Captain O’Hare assigned Daniel Mahoney as the delegate to pursue the effort. Mahoney, a resident of the Town of Hempstead, was a natural choice for the role. Although Nickerson’s sludge barge proposal never came to fruition, Mahoney successfully connected with several groups of public employees, particularly those working in sanitation and garbage removal.

Under Captain O’Hare’s leadership, the United Marine Division committed to organizing unrepresented public employees across Long Island. As a result, a new local union was formed—Local 342, Long Island Public Service Employees (L.I.P.S.E.).

The first bargaining unit organized by Dan Mahoney, who later became Local 342’s first president, was Sanitary District No. 6 in the Town of Hempstead. This special-use district employed approximately 140 workers serving the unincorporated villages of Elmont, Franklin Square, West Hempstead, Hempstead Gardens, Lakeview, North Valley Stream, and the Incorporated Village of South Floral Park.

Following a representation election held on January 29, 1968, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) officially certified Local 342 to represent the workers of Sanitary District No. 6.

Local 342 continued to grow. The second bargaining unit organized by the union was in the Town of Huntington, where Local 342 challenged an existing organization, the CSEA. Local 342 filed a petition with PERB to represent the town’s blue-collar employees, and after a successful election, the union was certified on February 7, 1969.

Later that same year, the union was also certified by PERB to represent the blue-collar employees of the Village of Valley Stream.

By 1970, Local 342 represented two towns. Today, the union has grown to include 21 collective bargaining agreements representing various municipalities throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Local 342 proudly represents a wide range of public service professionals, including lifeguards, nurses, fire district personnel, EMTs and paramedics, librarians, sanitation workers, and other essential municipal employees, all dedicated to serving their communities.

Since September 2005, William M. Hennessey has served as President and General Manager of Local 342, L.I.P.S.E., U.M.D., I.L.A., leading the union and advocating on behalf of its membership.