-
NYC Parks Apprenticeships Address Historically Hard-to-Recruit Titles Story & Photos by ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Beyond securing job protections and negotiating contracts, DC 37 invests in its members by building pathways to better careers with higher earning potential. That’s why workers in the NYC Parks Department are encouraged to apply for the Parks Gardener and Climber & Pruner training programs. Subject matter experts from Local 1505 NYC Attendants, Park Service Workers, City Park Workers & Debris Removers, and Local 1507 NYC Parks Gardeners helped develop the apprenticeship programs in conjunction with NYC Parks Workforce Development to address difficult-to-fill titles. Local 1505 President Dilcy Benn is delighted that her members have the opportunity to grow their careers and become qualified candidates for positions struggling against attrition. “I care about my members and want to change their lives for the better,” Benn said. “They wouldn’t make this amount of money in my Local, so with this program, they can make more and learn more.” The 12-month Parks Gardener Training Program is open to all active, full-time Parks employees who want to expand their skills and knowledge of horticulture, botany, and gardening. Each person receives instruction from former gardeners, takes classes at the New York Botanical Garden, gains necessary certifications, and is [...] — Sep 22
-
Union Gears Up For November Election Backs Mamdani For Mayor Story By MIKE LEE, Photo By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ On a sunny Tuesday in July, DC 37 leaders and supporters joined Executive Director Henry Garrido in announcing the union’s endorsement of New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. “We’re proud to reaffirm our support for Zohran to lead New York City forward as its next mayor,” Garrido said. “DC 37 members helped power him to victory in the mayoral primary, and we will do it again — stronger, louder, and united for a better future.” Mamdani surpassed expectations by overtaking former Governor, Andrew Cuomo, in polls leading up to Primary Day. After the first round of ranked choice votes was counted, it was evident that Mamdani was on the path to victory. He ultimately won the Democratic Primary with 56% of the vote. A relative unknown at the beginning of a crowded field, Mamdani impressed DC 37’s rank-and-file members at the union’s candidate forum in late February. Throughout Primary season, Mamdani hustled where it mattered and won the hearts and minds of New York City’s Democratic voters, including young progressives who enthusiastically responded to his vision. “New York City’s largest labor union and the workers who [...] — Sep 22
-
Unions, Activists Send Message To Wall Street … You Say ‘Power’ Story and Photos by MIKE LEE In what was among the largest protests in New York City since President Donald Trump’s Jan. 2025 inauguration, DC 37 members and activists joined several thousand demonstrators on Aug. 29 for the March on Wall Street. The march was sponsored by the National Action Network and included progressive groups and several of New York’s major labor unions. DC 37 and its national union, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), showed force in a sea of green T-shirts. DC 37 members gathered early at 125 Barclay to prepare for the march. In his remarks at the union hall, AFSCME President Lee Saunders outlined the union’s priorities in taking to the streets to protest the Trump administration’s priorities and Wall Street’s response in adopting anti-DEI policies. “They don’t care about unions; they’re trying to destroy us,” said Saunders, who served as DC 37’s Administrator from 1999 to 2002. “We cannot take this attack lightly because it is real.” Saunders also spoke at the rally in the Financial District, emphasizing that unions will stand up against the attacks on public workers and the billionaire bankers who benefit from their [...] — Sep 22
-
Members Show What Democracy Looks Like At Annual Labor Day Parade When I Say ‘Union’ … Story By MIKE LEE, Photos By MIKE LEE, ACACIA RODRIIGUEZ & THEA SETTERBO The weather was humid and the forecast threatened rain, but for the tens of thousands marching in the Central Labor Council Labor Day Parade, none of that mattered. Under the banner of “Power in Unity,” DC 37 members and their families joined fellow workers representing more than 200 unions in the annual march up Fifth Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 6. New York City’s unionized workforce showed up in a powerful display of union pride. This year’s event was especially powerful as the labor movement pushes back against the Trump administration’s anti-worker policies and legislation. Many union members attended the parade to express their solidarity and reconnect with colleagues. “As public workers in New York’s five boroughs, we’re spread across hundreds of worksites and agencies,” said George Sarah Olken, President of Brooklyn Public Library Guild Local 1482. “Days like today are a chance to reconnect, to feel less atomized, and to remind each other that we are one labor movement connecting all communities. The attacks on our public institutions, such as our libraries, are attempts to divide us. We show up to say, [...] — Sep 22
-
Unions, City Reach Tentative Health Care Agreement Story By MIKE LEE For the first time in more than 40 years, health care for city workers and their families may soon change for the better. After a rigorous selection process, the city and the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC), including DC 37, entered into negotiations with EmblemHealth and UnitedHealthcare on a joint proposal to improve access to primary care doctors, specialists, nurse practitioners, hospitals, and mental health providers in New York City and nationwide — all while remaining premium-free. “We’ve navigated a challenging road to get to this point,” said Henry Garrido, DC 37 Executive Director. “The result is a tentative new health plan that will allow us to increase the quality of benefits, including mental health, for our members, rein in predatory costs, and increase access in every borough. It’s a win-win-win for our members.” If approved by the city and the MLC, the new NYC Employees PPO Plan (NYCE PPO) will: Incorporate all medical services (doctors and hospitals) and other medical facilities under a single health plan, one member ID card, and one member portal and app; Preserve EmblemHealth’s network of more than 78,000 doctors, health care professionals, and hospitals in New York City, Long Island, and [...] — Sep 22