DC 37 BLOG

• City Lifeguards Save Drowning Man at Orchard Beach August 14, 2020
  BY DIANE S. WILLIAMS A crew of five City Lifeguards rescued a Bronx man who collapsed in knee-deep water at Orchard Beach July 29. “We saw him wade out and suddenly he collapse face down into the water,” said Lifeguard Supervisor Neil Veloz. “When we reached him and pulled him out, he had no pulse […]
• The DC 37 Health & Security Plan is Here to Help Members Cope With Stress August 13, 2020
  Many people feel Stress in the face of Uncertainty. If these feelings are overwhelming you the Personal Service Unit is here to help. Stress is an inevitable part of life. Stress may be due to personal relationships, the workplace, or life changes. Repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful situations may take a toll on our […]
• Local 983 to Albany Legislators: Approve Short-Term Borrowing to Save 22,000 Jobs August 13, 2020
  By DIANE S. WILLIAMS  More than 100 members of Motor Vehicle Operators Local 983, will go to Albany August 13 to urge state lawmakers to block the proposed layoffs of 22,000 NYC public employees. “The proposed layoffs will hit some of the lowest-paid municipal workers in New York City,” said Local 983 President Joe Puleo, […]
• MELS Workshop on End of Life Documents Now on Video August 12, 2020
  MELS, DC 37’s Municipal Employees Legal Services, is making available a video recording of the August 5th workshop on Wills and End of Life documents. Almost 600 union members registered for this Zoom workshop but due to power outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias, some were unable to log on. DC 37 is offering members […]
• Important Information on Reopening Plans for New York State and City Agencies August 12, 2020
  DC 37 is providing its members the following links to New York State and City agency guidelines and policies as New York City begins to reopen and its unionized workforce returns to work. These workplace policies were enacted and negotiated with input from your union in response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The information provided […]
• 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 […]