Year: 2016

  • Unions Benefit All Workers

    Unions Benefit All Workers

    Discussions about wage stagnation typically focus on the impact of globalization, labor-saving technology and the drop in the minimum wage. Unions are usually left out of the picture. This is odd, because the decline of unions… Read more

  • DC 37 Celebrates Latino Heritage at Union Headquarters

    DC 37 Celebrates Latino Heritage at Union Headquarters

    By ALFREDO ALVARADO District Council 37’s Latino Heritage Committee celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month with its 24th annual event. The festivities took place at union headquarters and began on Sept. 20 with the traditional ribbon cutting ceremony. “Latinos… Read more

  • Scholarship Winners are Honored at the Education Committee’s Annual Dinner

    Scholarship Winners are Honored at the Education Committee’s Annual Dinner

    BY ALFREDO ALVARADO Mansi Moodi, Cae Lan Chow, Gabrielle Batista, Samuel Thomas and Steven Calco were recipients of college scholarships awarded by the District Council 37 Education Committee. The committee handed out the partial scholarships to… Read more

  • Hillary For President

    By HENRY GARRIDO Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO We believe Hillary Clinton — a longtime friend of this union and the labor movement — is the best choice for workers in this year’s presidential… Read more

  • The District Council 37 Story Behind the Blockbuster Movie “Sully”

    The District Council 37 Story Behind the Blockbuster Movie “Sully”

      DC 37 members played a vital role as responders to the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. Back then, Public Employee Press ran a story about the role of… Read more

  • “If you are working for just a paycheck, you are going to get burned out.”

    “If you are working for just a paycheck, you are going to get burned out.”

    Jill Campbell, Child Protective Specialist, Social Services Employees Union Local 371 Photo: Mike Lee I work for the Administration for Childrens’ Services. I am a Child Protective Specialist in Brooklyn. I have been with the agency… Read more

  • Henry Garrido Receives Civic Champion Award From City Limits Magazine

    Henry Garrido Receives Civic Champion Award From City Limits Magazine

    By MIKE LEE DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido was awarded the first Civic Champion award by the magazine City Limits during their gala 40th Anniversary event in downtown Manhattan. City Limits Editor Jarrett Murphy presented… Read more

  • “I hear sad stories. I’m glad to lend a hand.”

    “I hear sad stories. I’m glad to lend a hand.”

    Vivian Rosario, Family Assistant, Board of Education Employees Local 372 Photo: Clarence Elie-Rivera At the shelters, we have people from all over the city and from all over the country and some undocumented people too. I think… Read more

  • “Things can get ugly when we have to give the vendors a fine or close them down.”

    “Things can get ugly when we have to give the vendors a fine or close them down.”

    Roshini Mahabal, Public Health Sanitarian 2, Health Services Employees Local 768 Photo: Clarence Elie-Rivera  Public Health Sanitarians are in the field five days a week. Every day we work in a different borough. We get assigned our… Read more

  • “My job boils down to one issue: public safety.”

    “My job boils down to one issue: public safety.”

    Eric Lancelot, Traffic Device Maintainer, Local 1455    Photo: Clarence Elie-Rivera I work with about 11 others on the Department of Transportation’s Night Paint Operation crew. My job boils down to one issue: public safety. We… Read more

  • “Disasters are avoided because of the job my co-workers and I do”

    “Disasters are avoided because of the job my co-workers and I do”

    Odell Horton, Fire Protection Inspector, Local 2507     Photo: Clarence Elie-Rivera People never really think about the tragedies that don’t happen and the lives that aren’t put at risk. Disasters are avoided because of the… Read more

  • Union-Backed Candidates Score Big Wins Citywide

    Union-Backed Candidates Score Big Wins Citywide

    By ALFREDO ALVARADO DC 37 activists were out in force on Primary Day, September 13, going door-to-door to get out the vote for the union’s endorsed candidates. In the weeks preceding the primary, they also made thousands… Read more

  • That September Morning

    It was a perfect September morning. The weather was perfect, cloudless, heralding the end of summer. The day was Tuesday, primary day in New York City. As then-favored mayoral candidate Public Advocate Mark Green campaigned near… Read more

  • DC 37 Hosts 9/11 Exhibit in September

    By MIKE LEE The union will hold a special opening at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the First Floor Gallery for the stone lithographic work of pioneer firefighter and retired FDNY officer Brenda Berkman, to honor… Read more

  • DC 37 Endorsements for Primary Day on September 13

    DC 37 Endorsements for Primary Day on September 13

    By ALFREDO ALVARADO The Green Machine, the union’s team of activists, has been busy making telephone calls on behalf of candidates endorsed by District Council 37 for the upcoming primary election on Tuesday, Sept. 13. “DC 37… Read more

  • Trump: No Friend of Workers

    By HENRY GARRIDO Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump portrays himself as a champion of the financially suffering middle class and disaffected blue-collar workers. He can say what he wants.… Read more

  • Union Backs Legislation for Halal and Kosher Meals for City Schoolchildren

    Union Backs Legislation for Halal and Kosher Meals for City Schoolchildren

    BY MIKE LEE Local 372 is working with a coalition to secure healthy school lunches that meet the religious requirements of observant Jews and the city’s growing Muslim student population. On Sept. 6, along with other… Read more

  • DC 37 Organizing sets lunchtime meetings and activist training

    DC 37 Organizing sets lunchtime meetings and activist training

    During the fall, the DC 37 Organizing Department will hold a series of lunch time meetings and activist training to strengthen the power of our collective voice and equip members with the tools necessary to move forward… Read more

  • Lifeguards Save an Elderly Man at Manhattan Beach

    Lifeguards Save an Elderly Man at Manhattan Beach

    By JOSEPH LOPEZ The scorching sun that has been a staple over New York City skies during this year’s heatwave-heavy summer has had many residents flocking to local beaches for a little fun and relief. The… Read more

  • Agreement protects cultural workers pensions

    Agreement protects cultural workers pensions

    By GREGORY N. HEIRES The union reached a tentative agreement that protects the pensions of DC 37 members working at cultural institutions and other workers who are employed at day-care centers. On Aug. 11, DC 37 concluded… Read more