Public Employee Press

Union honors ‘Green Machine‘ volunteers

The DC 37 Political Action Dept. celebrated its “Green Machine” army of volunteers at its annual holiday party that more than 200 union leaders, members, retirees and staff attended Dec. 7.

More than 25 active members and retirees received special recognition for their tireless dedication, service and commitment to the union’s grassroots political movement and their fundraising through the PEOPLE Committee of AFSCME, DC 37’s parent union.

This year’s honorees included DC 37 unionists Alvin Carter and Ralph Palladino, of Local 1549; the entire Clerical Division; Lee Clarke, director of DC 37’s Health and Safety Unit; Isabel Figueroa, 1st vice president of Local 420, and many other local members and retirees who are part of the Green Machine’s political activities throughout the year.

DC 37 volunteers help get out the vote by distributing campaign literature for union-endorsed candidates. Wearing their union-green T-shirts, they are a visible force representing the interests of working people in neighborhoods from Castle Hill to East Flatbush. In the days leading to primaries and special and general elections, they make calls from DC 37’s computerized phone banks to engage union members in the political process.

On Feb. 5, DC 37 and other unions under the AFSCME umbrella will put thousands of volunteers in the street to help make U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton the Democratic candidate for president. Both DC 37 and its parent union, AFSCME, voted overwhelmingly to endorse Sen. Clinton for the primary races.

“You are the lifeblood of the union and the backbone of our political operation,” said Political Action Committee Chair Lenny Allen, who is also president of the city’s OTB Corp. Employees Local 2021. “We are gearing up for the New York State presidential primary Feb. 5.We need more volunteers than ever to get out the vote. We know we can count on you!”