DC 37 Family,

This morning, we filed a lawsuit against the City of New York to prevent the elimination of nearly 3,000 Job Training Participants (JTPs) in the Parks and Sanitation departments, and to preserve other city jobs under Local Law 63. The budget cuts proposed on Nov. 16 attempt to transition work from our members to temporary contractors. Now, we’re taking our fight to the New York State Supreme Court.

The budget modification also fails to reduce the $38 billion budget line for Other Than Personal Services overseen by the City’s Office of Management and Budget. This means hundreds of temporary contractors and consultants will be prioritized over our public workforce. This strategy is unfair, anti-union, and leaves us no choice but to take legal action.

Our members have shouldered the burden of every fiscal crisis in New York City’s recent history, and enough is enough. On behalf of our union and all public workers, we look forward to making our case before the court over what we consider to be the City of New York’s blatant violation of Local Law 63. 

In solidarity, 

Henry Garrido 

Executive Director