DC37

  • AFSCME President Joints DC 37 & City Leaders to Praise Job Recruitment Campaign
    Story and Photos by MIKE LEE Nearly 1,000 jobseekers attended a City Government Hiring Hall for available public service positions on Aug. 28 at Sunset Park High School in Brooklyn. The hiring hall date was selected as a tour stop for a 40-foot-long, bright green bus as part of AFSCME’s Staff the Front Lines campaign. Lines began to form long before the 1 p.m. start time, and a steady stream of applicants eager for the opportunity to land an interview and potential work continued throughout the afternoon. Applicant Arielle Maurice was offered a position onsite as a Criminalist and spoke about why she wanted to work in public service. “I grew up in Queens,” Maurice said. “I like New York City and the people working here, but I want to contribute and give back to the community.” At a press conference during the late afternoon, union and city leaders, including DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido and AFSCME President Lee Saunders, joined New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to speak about the benefits of entering public service. “We said from the beginning that we were going to concentrate on what Dr. King called the [...] — Sep 20
  • Five Ways to Protect Your Union Rights
    By DC 37 Political Action Department You are an important part of a dynamic movement. During the last century, labor unions have been the source of monumental improvements to the fabric of American life. Working together in solidarity, we’ve shortened the work week, ensured access to health care for millions of people, and fought for equality, civil rights, and fair pay for all Americans. Unfortunately, some of the wealthiest individuals and corporations among us are using their power and resources to strip away our union rights. But we are not powerless; there are many things we can do to protect our rights as organized workers. 1. Make Sure You’re a Member Do you have a signed union card on file? This is the only way to guarantee you’re an active DC 37 member in good standing in order to access all the great privileges, like certain types of legal representation and the ability to vote on contracts, that come with being a DC 37 member. Even if you think you signed a membership card in the past, you should call 212.815.1000 to confirm your membership card is on file. You can also urge your coworkers to sign membership cards. More [...] — Sep 20
  • Union Volunteers Make it Count in City Primary
    By MIKE LEE DC 37’s legendary “Green Machine” did it again. Thanks to the tireless effort by the union’s hundreds of volunteers activated by the Political Action Department, DC 37-endorsed candidates stormed to victory in several key New York City Council races in the June 27 Democratic Party primary. Significantly, community activist Chris Banks defeated incumbent Council Member Charles Barron in Brooklyn’s 42nd Council District, which includes East New York, New Lots, Remsen Village, Spring Creek, and Starrett City. Through a massive Get Out the Vote effort that included door knocking in the field and phone banking fellow union members, DC 37 went all out for Banks who won the primary over Barron 50% to 43%. In the campaign’s final days, Banks personally thanked DC 37 canvassers for their help in what later became his stunning victory. Since 2001, Barron has served in the City Council and the New York State Assembly. Banks’ victory in the primary was a message that the time has come for new leadership in the district, and that union support was critical in securing the win. “It’s clear from the primary results that our efforts in the field motivated turnout at the polls for the [...] — Sep 20
  • City Budget: Union Holds the Line to Cuts to Services
    By MIKE LEE After months of contentious negotiations, often the hallmark of the New York City budget process, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Council reached a $107 billion budget agreement for Fiscal Year 2024. The handshake agreement took place on June 29. The City Council passed the final budget by mid-afternoon the following day, hours before the midnight deadline. At a City Hall event to announce the agreement, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said, “We took seriously our task to negotiate the best possible outcomes and deliver results. Through complex negotiations, the City Council worked to bridge the distance between the Mayor and us by fighting to restore investments in essential services and fund many programs for our families and communities.” Mayor Adams said the agreement comes during a budget cycle dominated by great challenges and unexpected crises. “I am proud to say that we have successfully navigated through these many crosscurrents to arrive at a strong and fiscally responsible budget,” he said. The $107 billion budget reflects the Council’s priorities and the union’s push to restore investments in essential city services, health and safety, education, and quality of life. The budget is $6 billion more than the [...] — Sep 20
  • The Permanent Campaign for Your Rights and Resources
    At the Labor Day Parade on Sept. 9, our union concluded the long, hot summer with a powerful message: We stand united at the front of New York City’s labor movement. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who came out in solidarity to march as one, united in purpose, to express our power. It has been five years since the backwards decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME attempted to water down the power of the collective and undo decades of progress made by unions for workers’ rights. Though the anti-labor movement may have won in Janus, we held the line and have pushed forward major wins for our members and those looking to organize the workplace for the good of their fellows. Since the Janus decision, we redoubled our efforts to advocate for our members and their families. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we stood as one to continue providing city services to the public and fought every step of the way to protect our members against attempted layoffs. In the aftermath, we forced the City to recognize our efforts, not just by applauding our sacrifices and heroism during one of the darkest moments [...] — Sep 20