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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
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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