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More Than Meets the Eye at Materials for the Arts Story and Photo by ACACIA RODRIGUEZ In Long Island City, Queens, a warehouse holds 25,000 square feet of recycled items looking for a second life, including thousands of empty lipstick tubes, meters of vertical blinds, disassembled chandelier crystals, and discarded office supplies. Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a program run by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, was founded in 1978 to collect, store, and offer any of its donated materials for free to City agencies, public schools, nonprofits, social justice organizations, artists, and educators. Photo: MFTA reception area decorated with donated materials, where shoppers with an appointment are welcomed and checked in. “If you need materials for the programming you do in your job, we offer free materials as long as they’re being used in the capacity of the agency you work for,” Education Coordinator and Local 371 Delegate Will Niedman said. “Whether you work in Parks and are doing a tabling program, you work for ACS and need clothes in a shelter, or you work for NYCHA and you’re doing a community event, you can come here and access our materials for free.” Members of Social Service Employees Union Local 371 operate MFTA, which offers two dedicated shopping [...] — Sep 23
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Local 2906’s Seafaring Activities Keep NYC’s Waterways Clear Story and Photo by ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Local 2906 Marine Workers aboard the Hunt’s Point (left to right): Mariner James Hennessy, Mariner Anthony Gillespie, Captain David Gagliano, Mate Brian Paolillo and Mate Alex Pavelka. Wide, equipment-laden sludge boats sail through New York Harbor multiple times a day, seven days per week, transporting wastewater between treatment facilities to keep New York City waterways clean. Beginning at 7 a.m., members of Local 2906 NYC Marine Workers fill one of five boats with about 140,000 cubic feet of sludge to be refined for composting, fuel, or energy at one of the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) 14 wastewater resource recovery facilities. Decades ago, the City would dump waste directly into the surrounding waterways. Now, DEP collects waste into the sewer system, sorts it, decomposes it within digestive tanks so the sewage can be broken down, disinfects it, and sends it to dewatering facilities to compress the sludge into cakes. “Once ocean-dumping was discontinued, sludge boats became efficient tools to assist the waste treatment process because you can quickly move so much,” Captain Dave Gagliano said. “There has been tremendous improvement in the water quality in the harbor due to this practice, which is great.” [...] — Sep 23
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Snapshots DC 37 a Force at Labor Convention DC 37 and other AFSCME affiliates participated in the New York State AFL-CIO’s 2024 Constitutional Convention held Aug. 27-28 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Union delegates joined other statewide labor organizations to debate policy and endorse a slate of candidates for this November’s all-important elections. Photo by Mike Lee West Indian Day Parade SSEU Local 371 members marched in the annual West Indian Day Parade on Sept. 2 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The annual parade takes place every Labor Day to honor Caribbean art, culture, and history. Photo by Vandyke Williams Spotlight on Unions at the DNC DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido introduced the New York State Delegation during the ceremonial Roll Call at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 20in Chicago. Photo by Thea Setterbo — Sep 23
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Building Solidarity: School Construction Employees Speak Out By JUSTINA RAMLAKHAN Members of Local 1740 assembled a strong display of solidarity on July 25, in response to standstill contract negotiations between the union and their employer, the School Construction Authority (SCA). Representatives from DC 37, Local 1740, and the SCA attended a total of 14 bargaining sessions and were unable to come to an agreement. The previous contract expired in 2021. The local, formed in 2018, represents architects, engineers, and other technical professionals responsible for the construction and maintenance of approximately 1,900 public school buildings in New York City. The city’s public school system is the largest in the country, servicing more than 1 million students daily. With a 15% vacancy rate and high attrition at the agency, the workers tasked with ensuring the safety and reliability of City public schools are taking on more work to meet construction timelines for new building projects. “There’s a revolving door. Why do people come and leave? Because they’re not getting paid their fair share, and they’re being dumped on with excessive workloads,” Local 1740 President Charles Komlo said during the rally. “Tell me anywhere in the country where an architect has 100 projects concurrently under their belt. This agency needs [...] — Sep 23
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Union Takes the Lead at AFSCME Convention Story by MIKE LEE, Photos by THEA SETTERBO The mood was as bright as the California sun as members and union activists gathered Aug. 12-16 for the 46th International Convention of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). With the theme of “Front Line & Fearless,” the Los Angeles Convention Center was filled with union leaders and member delegates, including a large District Council 37 contingent. The very first delegate to register onsite was DC 37’s own Deborah Allman, President of the New York Public Library Guild Local 1930, and one of the fiercest advocates for library workers during City budget negotiations. During the Convention, she stood for a resolution defending Affirmative Action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which was overwhelmingly approved by convention attendees. “The problem lies with the people who use discrimination to keep their edge in education, the workplace, and in life,” Allman said. “The fault lies with those who don’t see that diversity enhances creativity and productivity in the workplace, and in decision-making for the betterment of everyone. The fault lies with those who don’t understand equality means creating opportunities for all.” Delegates immediately got down to business in choosing the leadership [...] — Sep 23