National AFSCME News
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An important announcement for former CNR students Attention former college of New Rochelle students: Since the College of New Rochelle (CNR) has announced that it will be permanently closing in the summer of 2019, the DC 37 Education Fund is assisting members with transferring their credits to a different school if they have not yet graduated. If you were enrolled at CNR and have not graduated, please click here to register for assistance, and to attend our upcoming CUNY informational event on May 6, at 6 p.m. at union headquarters in Room 200. Please call 212-815-1700 for additional details. — Apr 24
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Become a Wellness Champion: Free Classes and Programs for DC 37 Members Did you know FREE Exercise Classes and FREE Smoking Cessation Programs are available at your city agency work location? These and many other valuable programs are available through WorkWell NYC to help you get and stay healthy. When DC 37 and other municipal employee unions negotiated improvements to your health insurance benefits, we placed an emphasis on prevention in order to avoid high hospital costs. High insurance costs limit our ability to negotiate for better raises and working conditions. It’s in all of our interests to get healthy so we can get a little bit more wealthy! Workshops include healthy eating, pre-diabetes support, mindfulness and stress reduction, and even financial planning, since money worries lead to health worries. Worksite fitness classes cover all levels of activity from Chair Yoga to Zumba. It’s a fun way to spend your lunch hour and to interact with your colleagues in a different, upbeat way. How can you take advantage of these great programs? Contact WorkWell NYC at [email protected] Invite them to make a presentation at your agency QWL meeting, or your union membership meeting. You may even want to be a Wellness Ambassador or a Wellness Champion to help get your co-workers involved [...] — Apr 22
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The College Admissions Scandal and Trump’s Assault on Working Class Students By ROBERT A. MARTIN, Esq. The recent admissions scandal at Ivy League and other elite colleges confirms what everyone already knows: being wealthy and connected can guarantee getting into these schools. But the legal action taken by federal authorities in Massachusetts is only part of the story involving fairness—or the lack thereof—in higher education. So-called “legacy” admissions favor the children of parents who are alumnae and give money to their college. Or, money alone can do it. A $2.5 million contribution reportedly paved the way for Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner – a mediocre student – to be accepted at Harvard. These factors tilt the scales in favor of affluent students and against young persons who may have worked harder and achieved more, but who lack economic advantages. Because rich families who have attended elite colleges tend to be white, there is an important affirmative action component here also. Students of color remain less represented than if the admissions process were truly open. The announcement of more than 50 indictments against prominent people blew the cover on techniques going well beyond the traditional “legal” ways of gaming the system. The ringleader received huge sums from parents and in return did [...] — Apr 18
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Union wins $70,000 in Owed Longevity for Pest Control Workers By DIANE S. WILLIAMS The union won a collective $70,000 in owed longevity payments for 35 City Pest Control Aides and Exterminators at the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene after forcing the agency to apply the contract’s recurring increment payments or RIPs. “The union remains diligent in protecting members’ hard won wages and benefits—whether it means fighting over federal rollbacks on union rights or correcting the mistakes made by agency management,” said Local 768 President Fitz Reid. “If it impacts our members, we here to make sure the contract—and the members—are respected.” Several CPCAs and Exterminators called the union after DOHMH failed to apply or took away the contractual RIPs they were entitled to. Longevity pay is disbursed incrementally in members’ biweekly paychecks. CPCAs do the dirty work that keeps New York City clean by enforcing health codes. They remove trash and clutter from abandoned lots, apartments and houses where rats and vermin breed. They combat infestations and keep the city’s rat population under control. The union found that DOHMH payroll failed to apply the longevity payments to a combined 35 CPCAs and Exterminators. “The union made an urgent and immediate appeal to DOHMH management to resolve the matter,” [...] — Apr 17
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Union Hosts Earth Day Expo By MIKE LEE A cleaner, safer New York City was on the agenda at the District Council 37 Earth Day Expo, held April 13 at union headquarters. The event, co-sponsored by Queens City Council member Costa Constantinides, chair of the Council’s Environmental Protection Committee, was part of a big push for the Climate Mobilization Act, a sweeping legislative package that is up for a vote later this week. The initiative includes Intro 1253, the most ambitious carbon reduction bill ever passed by a city, which is expected to create thousands of new jobs over the next few years. DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido welcomed the gathering and spoke of the “moral responsibility” to address climate change. He compared the environmental movement to other social justice struggles of the past and present. “This is the moral imperative of our generation,” said Garrido, in support of the City Council’s climate initiative. “We have to do everything in our power to make this happen.” DC 37 President Shaun D. Francois I, who is also president of Local 372, cited a recent report that warns we are running out of time to save our city’s coastline communities. “2030 is only eleven years from [...] — Apr 16