DC37

  • A Winter Wonderland in a Corner of Queens
    Every winter, Mike Giglio, a retired Local 376 Construction Laborer, decorates his home for the holidays to create a winter wonderland at 102-24 Rau Court in Hamilton Beach near 102 Street, near Howard Beach in Queens. “I’ve been doing this for about 37 years,” said Giglio. Since retiring in July, he relies on friends to help starting Nov. 1 to build the holiday display. “As a kid I begged my dad to put lights on our house in Richmond Hill so Santa would find us,” he said. Now in his 60s, Giglio looks back at the attraction he’s built that has drawn celebrities like piano man Billy Joel and his daughter, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and local families. At one point, just like the Rockettes at Radio City Musical Hall, the exhibit featured high kicking dancers from a local studio. He said, “It was magnificent.” Giglio said in 2012 Superstorm Sandy destroyed the house, flooding the basement and wiping out his possessions including a prized 4,000 foot train set. Now that he’s rebuilt his home, Giglio said, the show must go on. Holiday music plays from 9 a.m and the display is lit up from Dec. 1 [...] — Dec 14
  • DC 37 and SEIU 32BJ Join Forces to Demand Accountability from Private Hospitals
    Scores of members from DC 37 AFSCME and SEIU 32BJ, two of the city’s largest unions, attended a packed City Council hearing Dec 12 where leaders and representatives testified about runaway charges in NYC’s largest private hospitals. The unions presented testimony on the effects of skyrocketing costs for health care and asked the City Council to take action to curb practices by hospitals and health care providers that unreasonably ratchet up costs for needed care. “The single factor that’s had the most profound, negative impact on healthcare coverage in NYC is the cost of in- and out-patient care provided by the City’s non-profit, private hospitals,” said District Council 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “DC 37 and our brother and sister unions that make up the Municipal Labor Committee are doing our part to reduce hospital bills with changes in the design of our health plans. But the private hospital systems are not doing their part to contain costs.” Garrido noted that under the current, incomprehensible system: A hip replacement procedure can cost $83,000 at one hospital and $56,000 at another. Hospitals that serve Medicare and Medicaid patients receive lower prices in the private market, while hospitals that serve insured patients [...] — Dec 13
  • The DC 37 Political Endorsement Process: How It Works
    District Council 37 is proud to support labor-friendly candidates committed to protecting workers rights and advancing the social and economic rights of all New Yorkers. A District Council 37 (DC 37) endorsement is more than a stamp of approval; it is a commitment of time, resources, and mutual support. To receive an endorsement, our members must be confident that you share our values of economic and social justice for all, as well as a commitment to continue the work of making our government the force necessary to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. DC 37 will not endorse in every race, but we invite all candidates seeking elected office to contact our Political Action Department. DC 37’s leadership and Delegates have outlined a process that all candidates must adhere to in order to be considered for endorsement. Contact Us – Contact the Political Action Department at 212-815-1550 or by email at [email protected] with some background about yourself and the office you’re interested in. After receiving your request, Political Action Department staff will reach out to schedule a call or meeting with you about your candidacy. Fill out a questionnaire – Questionnaires are emailed to candidates that request DC 37’s [...] — Dec 13
  • Local 1559 Members Win Promotions and Pay Hike at American Museum of Natural History
    By DIANE S. WILLIAMS DC 37 resolved pay disputes and retention issues for three members of Local 1559 after the management of the American Museum of Natural History agreed to promote the Preparators and pay them $27,000 collectively. As a result of a series of labor management meetings, the museum promoted one Preparator to Sr. Principal Preparator and raised his salary by $6,000, while two other Preparators were promoted to Principal Preparators and received salary increases of $12,000 and $9,000. “These members love their jobs but with starting salaries of just $34,800 a year for Preparators, the museum pays far less than the industry standard,” said DC 37 White Collar Division Council Rep Amena Black. Senior Preparator Jason Brougham helped organize the group and even penned a letter to a sympathetic museum board member outlining the workers’ concerns. “The letter persuaded the board member to urge management to address AMNH’s retention and pay issues,” Black said. Retention is an ongoing issue for New York City museums. AMNH Preparator Hannah Rawe recently left for a better paying job. In her resignation memo she wrote, “After paying rent I have less than $600 left a month to live on.” Now a professor [...] — Dec 6
  • New Hep C Treatment Program Available at NYC Health + Hospitals
    By GREGORY N. HEIRES DC 37 members suffering with Hepatitis C are now eligible to participate in a pilot program designed to effectively treat the disease and reduce the exorbitant cost of current prescription medications. The new treatment regimen, devised by NYC Health+Hospitals in collaboration with the DC 37 Health & Security Plan, is available to members and dependents under 65 who are covered by the union’s prescription drug benefit, which is administered by OptumRx. The NYC Health+Hospitals program, which typically lasts between 8-to-24 weeks, is designed to encourage patients to stick with its regimen of medication and other parts of the treatment. Participants are assigned Patient Navigators to guide them through the process. To date, 15 members have signed up for the program. The latest Hepatitis C drugs have a 90% percent cure rate of the illness, but are outrageously expensive – for example, a three-month course of treatment by one drug, Harvoni, costs $49,650. The current treatment locations are at Gouverneur Healthcare Services, Kings County Ambulatory Care Center, Jacobi Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital. Anyone interested in learning about the program should email [email protected] or call the program’s clinical lead, Dr. Justin List, at 917-828-7427. As many as [...] — Dec 4