DC 37 BLOG

• Local 2507 Members Reelect Leaders August 11, 2020
  By DIANE S. WILLIAMS In a landside victory in August, DC 37 Local 2507 members reelected President Oren Barzilay, and officers and executive board members to a second term to lead the city’s public first responders workforce of Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Inspectors in the Fire Dept. Local 2507 EMS workers are on the […]
• Fall 2020 DC 37 Education Fund Free Training and Benefits August 7, 2020
  The DC 37 Education Fund is offering classes online Fall 2020: DC 37 Education Fund is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2020 cycle online classes. The Ed Fund offers classes on labor, business, the Lillian Roberts Women’s Leadership Academy, and more. For a full list of DC 37 Ed Fund courses and programs and […]
• Local 372 Presses for Ventilation and Cooling in All Public Schools  August 6, 2020
  BY DIANE S. WILLIAMS Kitchen temperatures in a Manhattan public school exceeded 135 degrees during a recent heat wave as 3,400 essential workers prepared Grab-and-Go meals to feed hungry New Yorkers, children, young adults and seniors, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The excessive heat in school kitchens creates work conditions that are unacceptable, unhealthy […]
• As NYC Reopens, Fire Inspectors are Key August 3, 2020
  By DIANE S. WILLIAMS The coronavirus pandemic hit New York City hardest and elevated thousands of DC 37 members as frontline, essential workers who protect public health and safety and make New York City run.  From the get-go, Local 2507 Fire Inspectors assigned to a special FDNY task force asked the public to practice social […]
• Midnight Budget Passes. Pressure is on Washington and Albany to Prevent 22,000 Layoffs August 1, 2020
  By MIKE LEE As hundreds of Occupy City Hall protesters gathered in front of the City Hall steps, the New York City Council passed the $88.1 billion budget for the 2021 Fiscal Year in a midnight vote, after hours of contentious hearings. The final vote was 32-17, with one member absent. New York City Council […]
• City Library Leaders Discuss Pandemic Response August 1, 2020
  By MIKE LEE When 2020 began, the city’s three library systems — New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Library — were building on their initial success in obtaining strong funding in last year’s budget. All three were in the process of providing an ever-expanding array of services to the public. They […]
• Oliver Gray: A Quiet Giant August 1, 2020
  By MIKE LEE District Council 37’s Associate Director Oliver Gray, who helped guide two of the union’s Executive Directors with a quiet, yet proactive approach since 2002, died on June 29, three days after suffering a heart attack in his home in Manhattan. He was 79. Until his death, Gray was deeply involved as a […]
• The Fight Moves to Washington July 31, 2020
  By HENRY GARRIDO, DC 37 Executive Director We are in a fight for our lives.  I am supportive of the efforts of Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council in hammering out a budget under the worst conditions New York City has endured in recent memory — tragic and brutal circumstances. While there are […]
• LIVE at 5:30 PM TODAY! MELS Workshop for End of Life Documents: Wills, Health Proxies, Power of Attorney July 21, 2020
  MELS WORKSHOP for END OF LIFE DOCUMENTS: Wills, Health Proxies, Power of Attorney Wednesday, August 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. DC 37 Municipal Legal Services and Volunteers of Legal services will host a Zoom webinar TODAY on end of life documents for union members at 5:30 p.m. Learn from Stephen Shepard, supervising attorney of the Wills Unit […]
• Can You Help Improve Our Census Response for Future Jobs and Services? July 20, 2020
  Sisters and Brothers, DC 37 needs your help in fighting for our city’s future. Census 2020 just released the latest response rate data and it is very concerning. New York City’s 53.2 percent self-response rate is significantly lower than the national average of 62 percent. That means if reporting concluded today, New York City would […]
• Making Good Trouble July 20, 2020
  A frequent visitor, honored guest and speaker at many events at DC 37, U.S Congress member and civil rights icon John Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020. We remember him with this article that appeared in the March 2017 issue of Public Employee Press. By DIANE S. WILLIAMS Humanitarian and civil rights leader the […]
• COVID Rent Relief Program Now Available For New York Tenants: Application Deadline: July 30 July 17, 2020
  New York State has directed $100 million of federal stimulus funds toward rent relief. Tenants can now apply for these funds to offset the loss of income during the COVID-19 crisis.  The COVID Rent Relief Program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord.  Tenants […]
• Free Wills & Life Planning Documents for City Workers July 15, 2020
  The Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) has partnered with Volunteers of Legal Services (VOLS) to launch a Frontline Worker Initiative to provide FREE life planning documents, Wills, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxies, to COVID-19 pandemic frontline workers. MELS offers this service to all DC 37 members who are participants in the Health and Security […]
• Thinking of Becoming a U.S. Citizen? Join Us on Zoom at 6 p.m. Tonight July 1, 2020
  DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS), the Building Service 32BJ Legal Services Fund (Legal Fund) and CUNY Citizenship NOW are jointly presenting a seminar July 1 on free services the union offers to help members on the path to becoming a U.S. citizen, and its many benefits. This seminar will cover how and when […]
• Did You Vote Today? Polls Close at 9 p.m. June 23, 2020
  Sisters and Brothers, We have only a few hours left until polls close at 9 p.m. TONIGHT.  If you haven’t done so, please go vote and be the change we want in our communities.  You can look up your poll site here. Here’s the list of the progressive, labor-friendly candidates DC 37 has endorsed this […]
• Three Free College Degree Programs for Local 372 Members June 23, 2020
  By DIANE S. WILLIAMS  DC 37’s helping Local 372 members with three unique degree programs the union has negotiated with Monroe College and LaGuardia College’s Food Service Management Program. “We have an incredible education benefit that allows members to earn degrees that when paired with their work experience, prepares them to move up the career […]
• Thinking of Becoming a U.S. Citizen? Your Union Can Help June 19, 2020
  The DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS), the Building Service 32BJ Legal Services Fund (Legal Fund) and CUNY Citizenship NOW are jointly presenting a seminar July 1 on free services the union offers to help members on the path to becoming a U.S. citizen and its many benefits. This seminar will cover how and […]
• Time Off to Vote June 23 New Changes June 18, 2020
  VOTING UPDATE: Primary Day is June 23. We are providing you with the updated information on getting time off to vote on June 23.  Section 3-110 of the New York State Election Law, which relates to providing employees in New York State time off to vote, was amended effective April 3, 2020. The changes made […]
• DC 37 Needs You on Primary Day June 23 June 15, 2020
  Primary Day is a week away and DC 37 members can make a difference by supporting these union-endorsed candidates, especially those who face critical races on Tuesday June 23. In bold are key races. QUEENS Queens Borough President Donovan Richards U.S. Congress  Gregory Meeks – CD 5 Grace Meng – CD 6 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – […]
• Updates and New Free Services for DC 37 Members June 10, 2020
  DC 37 has added more FREE services to help members during the COVID-19 pandemic. EMERGENCY COVID-19 CERTIFICATE for PUBLIC SCHOOL WORKERS, APPLY by SEPT. 1 Candidates seeking certain certificates and extensions may be eligible for the Emergency COVID-19 certificate, allowing them to work in public schools or districts for one year while taking and passing […]