DC 37 launches subway ads slamming the $9 billion the city spends on private contractors saying it wastes taxpayers' dollars and endangers their quality of life

The ads urge New Yorkers: Tell City Hall, "Cut Private Contractors, Not Public Services."

New York, N.Y. - DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, head of the city's largest municipal employee union, announced a new subway ad campaign spotlighting a "shadow government" of private contractors and outside consultants funded by $9 billion of the city's $60 billion budget.

DC 37's ads began appearing on all New York City subway lines today, Monday, May 18. The ads inform New Yorkers that the city currently awards 18,000 contracts to private contractors who employ more than 100,000 workers hired without the benefit of the same "merit and fitness" examinations and background checks as public employees. "Private contractors don't undergo background checks. Private contractors don't take tests to show they're qualified to do the work. Many don't even pay workers a living wage or provide health care benefits," the ads say. "Some don't even pay their share of state or city taxes." The ads urge New Yorkers to tell City Hall to "Cut Private Contractors, Not Public Services."

Pointing to the thousands of public employees recently targeted for layoffs by the Bloomberg administration and the vital services they provide, Roberts said, "This just isn't necessary. The money is there. We've proven that with our white paper, which examined 10 contracts in eight city agencies and identifies a minimum of $130 million in savings the city can realize by cutting down on outside contracts with over-paid consultants and over-priced contractors. This is a misuse of taxpayers' dollars and it's just the tip of the iceberg." These proposed cuts, Roberts said, will "inevitably lead to larger long-term human and economic costs" and "go against everything President Barack Obama is trying to do to pull our country out of this economic crisis. While the president is creating jobs, the city will destroy jobs and undermine his recession recovery plan."

Roberts added, "The DC 37 ad campaign is intended to educate and mobilize New Yorkers whose quality of life is being threatened. As a result of these cuts hospital clinics will close, neglected illnesses will get worse. Reports of child abuse and neglect are rising and these layoffs will undermine programs created to prevent that. They also threaten our libraries--a critical resource for the growing number of people searching for work and for children who need to do homework on library computers because their families can't afford one at home. These cuts also threaten popular educational exhibits at our cultural institutions and zoos. No responsible government can in good conscience cut vital services and lay off loyal, qualified, hardworking employees while there are realistic alternatives - and there are!"

The DC 37 subway ads urge New Yorkers to go to the union's website-www.dc37.net-which has been redesigned and is also being launched today, Monday, May 18. The site features copies of the subway ads on its homepage and a copy of the white paper "Massive Waste At A Time Of Need" as well as an additional section devoted to information about the union's research into the city's increased use of private contractors. On the DC 37 site, New Yorkers can respond to the subway ads' call to action and send a message to City Hall to ""Cut Private Contractors, Not Public Services."

District Council 37 is New York City's largest public employee union, with 125,000 members and 50,000 retirees.