Successful organizing drive has MetroPlus workers overwhelmingly voting for District Council 37

More than 300 Enrollment Sales Reps I, II and III and Assistants will become part of DC 37's Local 1549.

On Feb. 2, DC 37's successful organizing drive led to an overwhelming majority of the 300+ eligible MetroPlus Enrollment Sales Representatives Levels I, II and III and Assistants at the Health and Hospital Corporation's health maintenance organization (HMO) voting for District Council 37 as their union. They will now be represented by NYC Clerical-Administrative Local 1549.

The results of the ballot count by were: 149 votes for DC 37 to 64 votes for the Organization of Staff Analysts (the other union that sought to represent the workers), with 4 ballots voided and 7 ballots challenged. The union representation election was conducted and certified by the Office of Collective Bargaining.

The vote concluded a two-year organizing effort by DC 37, its Clerical-Administrative Division and Local 1549, assisted by their national union AFSCME, to recruit the MetroPlus workers, who handle enrollment applications for people who use the HMO of the city's hospital system.

"This organizing drive was very important to us," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "When they voted for DC 37, the MetroPlus workers took an important first step in winning better health coverage, good benefits, and better pay for the valuable services they provide."

"We are pleased to welcome our new MetroPlus members," said Eddie Rodriguez, president of NYC Clerical-Administrative Local 1549, DC 37. "Local 1549 has a proven record of delivering for its members. We look forward to providing MetroPlus workers with job security, a good contract and a voice at work through our union."

DC 37 is New York City's largest public employee union, representing 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees.

NYC Clerical-Administrative Local 1549 has close to 18,000 members in nearly every city agency.