District Council 37

  • Snapshots
    DC 37 Celebrates Italian Heritage The union and supporters packed the house for the 26th DC 37 Italian Heritage Celebration. The Oct. 6 event honored the contributions of Italian-Americans, including their central role in the growth of the U.S. labor movement. “Our heritage is a tapestry woven with stories of courage, resilience, and passion,” said Michael DeMarco, President of NYC Traffic Employees Local 1455 and Chair of the DC 37 Italian Heritage Committee. “From the early immigrants who crossed the ocean in search of a better life to the countless individuals who have enriched our society with their talents and hard work, the Italian-American journey is one of inspiration and pride.” Honoring Latino Heritage The DC 37 Latino Heritage Committee hosted a Latino Heritage Month Finale Celebration on Sept. 27. Pictured are SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells and Executive Vice President Doris Murphy who chairs the Committee with members of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) NYC Chapter. Local 2507 Member Honored for Service At an Oct. 17 ceremony, the Fire Department of New York honored Deputy Chief Inspector Michael Reardon for his 40 years of service. From left: DC 37 Director of Strategic Initiatives Barbara Edmonds, Reardon, [...] — Dec 16
  • DC 37 Attorneys Continue Tradition of Crafting “Labor Law Bible”
    By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Assistant General Counsel Terry Buck and Seth York with the Lefkowitz on Public Sector Labor and Employment Law textbook they contributed to. Fans of the textbook “Lefkowitz on Public Sector Labor and Employment Law” will be pleasantly surprised to see contributions from two DC 37 Legal Department staffers in Chapter Three: Employee Rights Under The Taylor Law and Chapter Six: The Representation Process. Assistant General Counsel Terry Buck and Seth York poured their practical knowledge into the updated “labor law bible,” as it’s known to familiar readers. The whopping two-volume, $500 text is used as a reference to guide attorneys practicing law in the public sector within academic, union, and municipal legal departments. DC 37’s legal staff is uniquely qualified for this task. Previously, Associate Counsel Audrey Browne, who currently serves as a consultant for the DC 37 Benefits Fund Trust, co-edited a supplementary update to the 1998 edition. “We are taking our rightful place in history in doing this,” said Robin Roach, DC 37 General Counsel. “Our staff should be contributors to anything with regard to public sector labor law in this state because we have a lot to say. District Council 37 represents over a [...] — Dec 16
  • Day Care Workers Score Big in New Agreement
    By JUSTINA RAMLAKHAN Members of Locals 205 and 95 rally outside of Highbridge Advisory Council Headquarters in the Bronx in July to demand the paychecks owed to them from the day care centers. Photos by Robert R. Ramos In recent years, scientific research has provided overwhelming evidence of the long-term effects of early childhood experiences on a child’s development. The unsung heroes who look after children in their early years are tasked with educating, protecting, and enriching the youngest New Yorkers. Members of Local 205 Day Care Employees provide quality, affordable child care in more than 300 facilities across the five boroughs. For the past two years, these employees have worked under an expired labor agreement, leaving wages and benefits static as they continue to show up and provide professional care. In addition to not receiving a raise, some members also reported wage theft after paychecks were severely delayed. DC 37 advocated to address missing wages at Highbridge Advisory Council centers earlier this year. Raising the Standard On Oct. 16, the City of New York announced a tentative agreement between DC 37, Local 205, and the Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) to raise wages for thousands of child [...] — Dec 16
  • A Tale of Two Keepers
    By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ The Animal Keepers of Local 1501 Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) specialize in providing care for a variety of unique animal inhabitants at the Bronx Zoo, Queens Zoo, Central Park Zoo, and New York Aquarium. With many mouths to feed, exhibits to tidy, and personalities to learn, the routines are the same, but the animals remain wild as ever. Wild Animal Keeper Meagan Fontanez feeds fish to a California sea lion at the New York Aquarium. Photo by Meagan Fontanez Wild Animal Keeper Meagan Fontanez has worked at the New York Aquarium’s Sea Cliffs for more than three years. The Sea Cliffs Exhibit is an outdoor section with habitats suitable for harbor seals, penguins, sea lions, and sea otters. After Fontanez earned an Environmental Science bachelor’s degree, she interned and volunteered in the section before working full time at the aquarium where she learned all about caring for her animal charges on the job. “My whole life I’ve known I wanted to work with an environmental agency or animals in some capacity,” she said. “In college, I was a Biology major at first, and then I changed to Environmental Science. I realized postgraduate study wasn’t for me, so [...] — Dec 16
  • School Lunch Aides Serve Up Success
    By ACACIA RODRIGUEZ Senior Lunch Aide Shanna Brown (center) displays two vegetarian choices available for students. Local 372 members from left: Jesmin Akter, Tamanna Parvin, Second Cook Maria Deleon, Farzana Boby, Marilyn Ortiz, Shanna Brown, Carmen Morel, Samuel Cotto, Shanier Brown, Shahina Chowdhury, and Maria Diaz. Photo by Acacia Rodriguez At Herbert H. Lehman High School, School Lunch Aides from Local 372 NYC Board of Education Employees produce and distribute nutritious meals for a campus of discerning eaters. With menus including butternut squash and barbecued chicken, school lunch is an elaborate production helmed by a team of dedicated and quick-thinking workers. The Lunch Aides carry out important work in the kitchen and on the lunch line serving up healthy food to young academics and staff alike. It’s 7 a.m. and Senior Lunch Aide Shanna Brown, one of two cooks in the Lehman kitchen, begins her day with a pen and paper to dive into some math. Depending on which menu the Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services has planned for the day, Brown must calculate how best to deliver meals to staff and students during six different lunch periods. She carefully divides up the protein, carbs, and [...] — Dec 16