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Federal Budget, New Health Plan On The Agenda At Town Halls By MIKE LEE Union leaders and reps met with members across the five boroughs this summer to share information and answer questions about the targeting of public services by the Trump administration and a tentative new health plan for city workers. The effort was aimed at educating members about the impact of the “Big Beautiful Bill” to their bottom line and informing them about the upcoming improvements to their health care. Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP are expected to cause more than 1.2 million job losses nationwide, including nearly 115,000 jobs in New York. The cuts to Medicaid alone will have a devastating impact on low-income communities and the public workers who serve them. Many public and private sector members represented by DC 37 are already experiencing the fallout. At the Harlem Hospital Town Hall, DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido spoke of the crisis. “There is a lot in this budget bill that directly impacts us,” Garrido said. “The cuts to Head Start, Home Energy Assistance, and other programs will hurt services and cause layoffs for many of the workers providing them.” Ebony McIntosh, a Patient Care Associate and member of Local 420 at Harlem Hospital, said the Town [...] — Sep 22
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City Workers Show Off Creative Sides Story & Photos By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ More than 80 works of art by DC 37 members were highlighted this summer in the WorkWell NYC “Art if Life” exhibition in downtown Manhattan. This annual public exhibit features the visual, digital, live performance, and literary artworks of city employees. This year’s theme, “Life Lessons Learned,” celebrated learning in the face of adversity and overcoming challenges. Workers submitted photos, paintings, drawings, sculptures, music, and movement pieces inspired by their reflection on perseverance. Local 375 member Marc Brown’s / “BUZ163” collage piece “Mum-Mum in the Kitchen” Caption: Local 375 member Marc Brown poses next to his collage. Brown said: “It’s funny, many people recognize and react to the cabinet. Previously when the piece was on view, a woman said, ‘Ah I love the chinero! We had one, too.’” Local 375 member Marc Brown, exhibiting as “BUZ163,” contributed his piece “Mum-Mum in the Kitchen,” a collage depicting his grandmother chopping vegetables in the kitchen, seen from the doorway of a dining room. Opposite her is a wooden china cabinet, a familiar, nostalgic sight across many cultures. Brown cut each piece of material by hand, including film, wallpaper, parquet, and vinyl. SSEU Local 371 member Jorge [...] — Sep 22
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Bargaining Committee Overcomes Negotiation Obstacles With Museum Of Jewish Heritage Story & Photo by ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Local 215 members at the Museum of Jewish Heritage are celebrating the ratification of a hard-won contract. The private sector members worked under an extended contract for six months while they faced off at the bargaining table with museum management. The museum workers’ crash course in contract negotiations and labor history began when they joined the Bargaining Committee just three months after becoming shop stewards. Negotiator Amena Black of DC 37’s Research & Negotiations Department channeled the team’s curiosity and eagerness into generative strategy sessions. “It was a tedious process, but the committee was excited to learn about bargaining and fight for a better contract,” Black said. “It was refreshing to work with such passionate workers.” The new committee met with previous members to learn about management’s past resistance. Black prepared them to meet with the museum’s lawyer by interviewing the entire unit. “The membership was quick to point out what they wanted and what they could compromise on so that their feedback informed our strategy,” Black said. Late in negotiations, the committee faced a setback when mediation was canceled by a March 14 executive action that reduced staffing at the Federal Mediation and [...] — Sep 22
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Providing Care With Paid Family Leave By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Paid Family Leave (PFL) is a New York State policy that grants up to 12 weeks of protected job leave, intermittently or consecutively, for workers to care for their families. During this time, eligible workers can receive up to 67% of their paycheck while caring for a spouse, domestic partner, child or stepchild, parent or stepparent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling. Most full-time workers are eligible for PFL after 26 consecutive weeks of employment and most part-time workers receive the benefit after 175 days. Bonding With Children Bonding Leave is a type of PFL that applies to parents welcoming a new child. Parents can take time off to bond with their new child within the first 12 months of the child’s birth. Bonding Leave can be used to care for newborn children, a spouse’s or domestic partner’s children, legal wards, adopted children, foster children, and grandchildren, though it cannot be used for prenatal conditions — it is specifically for new births or adoptions. For men in New York City, paternity leave is on the rise. Nationally, men take paid family leave at a lower rate than women, but male workers at the City of New York utilize [...] — Sep 22
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Workwear: Get To Know The Uniforms And Gear Of Fellow DC 37 Members Story & Photos by ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Get to know the uniforms and gear of fellow DC 37 members. Local 461’s New York City Lifeguards keep aquatic enthusiasts safe while enjoying NYC Parks Department beaches, outdoor pools, and indoor pools in all five boroughs. Clad in vivid orange swimsuits, these water guardians stay alert whether poolside or on the sand, ready to jump in at a moment’s notice to rescue swimmers in distress. Luis Martinez has been a pool lifeguard for 15 years. When he arrives at Manhattan’s Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center, he dons his lifeguard uniform, checks the equipment, and hydrates before his watch begins over the indoor pool. As an NYC lifeguard, he has completed the lifeguard training program, passed a written test, and successfully completed the swimming test. With safety as the top priority, Martinez has important advice for all poolgoers making a splash. “The two most dangerous behaviors are running on the pool deck and diving in head first,” he said. “Also, it’s essential to maintain supervision of all children at all times, because they run and are unpredictable.” A lifeguard’s poolside uniform and equipment includes: Whistle: “The most important piece of equipment we use on a [...] — Sep 22