MONTHLY NEWSLETTER DC 37 SAFETY AND HEALTH Flu Season is Here! Influenza (Flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The Flu is unpredictable and constantly changing and that is why there are new strains every year. People at risk for flu complications are young children, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions and/or compromised immune systems. DC 37 members can receive a FREE flu shot with your medical insurance card at in-network pharmacies and providers. Consider protecting yourself and your family today! COVID-19 Update COVID-19 cases are on the rise. The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This will protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter, whether or not previously vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. As COVID-19 variants continue to change, it is important to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which targets newer strains, as each vaccine’s effectiveness decreases over time. Additionally, all U.S. households are eligible to order 4 FREE COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 tests detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year. Be sure to place your order today. [...]— Sep 30
We celebrated Labor Day by marching up Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan with our union siblings from all sectors, trades, and disciplines. It was a collective expression of our power to remind the greater community that our members, past and present, are the force that makes this city run. Executive DirectorHenry Garrido When we march together in the parade, we are reminded of those who are no longer with us — the everyday heroes who have passed on while fulfilling their duties in serving our communities. During the pandemic, thousands of our DC 37 members fell ill and dozens died. The workers directly impacted by the pandemic were not only health care workers and EMTs; the pandemic struck workers in social services and other agencies that interact with the public. Many became sick after commuting to and from work during the lockdown. An untold number still suffer from “long COVID,” requiring continued medical care, and have lost time or been forced to go on disability. The social impact of the pandemic continues. Assaults on public workers, particularly on NYC Department of Transportation and Emergency Medical Service workers, have grown in the last several years. This tragic trend has even affected [...]— Sep 23
Story by JUSTINA RAMLAKHAN, Photo by THEA SETTERBO Members of Locals 95 and 205 with Assemblymember Chantel Jackson at an Aug. 1 rally outside of the shuttered Marshall England Early Learning Center in the Bronx. New York City’s nonprofit sector relies on the nurturing caregivers who attend to the needs of the bustling population, providing everything from child care to home-based health care. But what happens when those individuals are not compensated for the services they provide? For decades, Highbridge Advisory Council Family Services (HACFS) has offered free 3-K, Pre-K, and early childhood education programs in the Bronx. The agency receives funding from the City of New York, which is supposed to be used to pay their providers. HACFS centers temporarily closed in the late spring without notice, and employees were left to scramble and figure out whether they still had jobs. In July, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer resigned. On Aug. 1, members of Local 95 Head Start Employees and Local 205 Day Care Employees gathered outside the Marshall England Early Learning Center, the largest center that HACFS operates, for the second of a series of rallies to demand payment for their work after months of inconsistent paychecks led [...]— Sep 23
Story and Photo by MIKE LEE NYC Board of Education Employees Local 372 Vice President Donald Nesbit (left) and Local 3778 New York City Police Department Technical Professional Employees President Olivia Duong before speaking at a City Council hearing on May 9. When the year began, prospects for New York City’s budget looked dire, with massive cuts to the City’s parks, libraries, cultural institutions, and other agencies. However, after months of negotiations, Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council passed a $112.4 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025 on June 30, that restored funding for several of the union’s priorities. “We fought for adequate staffing and increased funding for the City institutions that serve our communities,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “It was a long struggle, but coming out of it, we moved toward completion of long-overdue school improvements across the City, secured more funding for our parks, and restored seven-day service for our libraries.” Schools, Pre-K and Daycare The City’s schools received $20 million to hire 1,000 more school food worker positions lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant restoration. The FY 2025 budget adds $150 million to complete cafeteria improvements in middle and high schools citywide, [...]— Sep 23
By MIKE LEE WORKING TOGETHER, MOVING FORWARD: Matriculate Workers Alliance members recently hosted a bargaining unit get-together to build solidarity. Both NYC-based hybrid and national remote employees attended. Workers at the national nonprofit Matriculate secured a win when they organized to bring recognition for their work and the need for fair wage increases. The workers approached DC 37 about union representation after a new CEO pulled back on several wage increases and froze promotions for a year without explanation. “The members of our bargaining unit perform a variety of roles at Matriculate, although we all work remotely,” said Ryan Kelly, Senior Associate, Student Learning. “The organization’s goal is to open access to traditionally underrepresented students and provide them aid by training college students to mentor and advise these high schoolers on their college applications and admissions journeys.” DC 37 Organizer Julian DeJesus explained the small unit represents many diverse roles. Matriculate workers recruit and advise high school students to get into college, others train them to become college advisors, and several others do IT work and accounting. Members of the Matriculate Organizing Committee were united in their demand for transparency from management and advocacy for better wages, job duties, and [...]— Sep 23
