Story by Mike Lee; Photos by Mike Lee, Acacia Rodriguez & Thea Setterbo

Be prepared to give them hell, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Tell them we are the strongest union in New York City and that we will remind them in November.

— DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido

After traveling from New York City in the early morning hours, nine buses packed with District Council 37 members, retirees, and union staff arrived in downtown Albany. The group disembarked and entered the State Capitol complex with a shared mission to advocate for pro-worker policies and legislation during the union’s annual Lobby Day.

A sense of urgency was in the air at the day-long event as negotiations on the state budget were underway. For the nearly 600 DC 37 members attending, this was their time to meet face to face with elected officials and remind legislators to fulfill their obligation to their constituents.

Speaking before the audience prior to their assigned legislative office visits, DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido laid out the day’s agenda, reminding members of their power in the political process.

“We’re fighting for critical issues and must hone our message when speaking to elected officials,” Garrido said. “Be prepared to give them hell, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Tell them we are the strongest union in New York City, and that we will remind them in November.”

The union showcased a united front to push for policies that benefit workers during the 225th state legislative session, including lowering Tier 6 pension contributions, increasing funding for nonprofit human services workers, and preventing the abuse and overuse of artificial intelligence in the workplace.

Among the members participating in Lobby Day was Nalani Williams, a Local 1503 member at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who met with Assemblymember Nily Rozic (AD 25, Queens).

“I spoke about AI and its impact,” Williams said. “AI is replacing jobs and is not dependable. We need humans to get the work done.”

Members also advocated for the passage of the Fair Pricing Act that caps prices for certain medical procedures and for expanding health and safety protections against workplace violence and extreme temperatures.

After the office visits, hundreds of DC 37 members and supporters packed the Capitol’s Million Dollar Staircase to rally for reforms to Tier 6, specifically lowering contribution bands to 3% across the board, down from a range of 3% to 6%. Currently, Tier 6 contribution bands penalize workers and reduce take-home pay as their salary increases.

Among the key legislators who spoke at the rally was Alex Bores, Assemblymember representing the 73rd District in Manhattan.

“Should we discriminate against new people coming in to work for the city and the state? No!” Bores said. “Yet instead, we have a pension system penalizing new workers.”

More than 75,000 DC 37 members are in Tier 6, and reforms would immediately put money back into workers’ pockets to help address the overall financial burden that public employees face while serving the community.

“Public workers should be uplifted for their service, not punished for their work,” Garrido said. “A pension is not a gift, it is money earned over the course of a career in the public sector. We call on the legislature to stand with our workers in setting the contribution rate at 3% for all employees in Tier 6.”

This article originally appeared in the April-June 2026 issue of PEPTalk Magazine.