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DC37 News Feed

  • Pride In Labor: Loud, Proud & Unbreakable

    Members of PDIG marched behind a new banner during this year’s NYC Pride Parade. Photo by Andrew Douglas DC 37 honored queer communities at the Pride Diversity Interest Group (PDIG) “Pride in Labor: Loud, Proud, and Unbreakable” Celebration on June 27. Andrew Douglas, who previously led SSEU Local 371’s LGBTQIA Committee, now serves as DC 37’s PDIG Committee Chair. DC 37 members celebrated Pride Month at the union’s headquarters amid a flurry of colorful decorations, a packed dance floor, and a fierce ballroom performance. Dancers of “The Precious 5” dipped, dropped, duckwalked, and vogued. The Committee also turned out for the NYC Pride Parade on June 29 to uplift the impact of queer people within the labor movement. The Precious 5 get in formation and begin their choreographed routine. Photo by Acacia Rodriguez

  • Awarding the Rising Generation

    The DC 37 Education Committee held its annual event honoring this year’s scholarship winners on June 27 at union headquarters. The 2025 winners are, from left: Saniyah McNealy (child of Cristina McNealy of SSEU Local 371), winner of the Overcoming Obstacles Scholarship; Addrita Biswas (child of SSEU Local 371 member Tapati Mondal), winner of the Memorial Scholarship; SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells; Breonna Cornelius (child of Tisha Benbow, SSEU Local 371 member), winner of the Evelyn Gaskin Scholarship, and Local 3778 President Olivia Duong, Chair of the DC 37 Education Committee. Not pictured: Local 2054 member Michelle Velez, winner of the Dwayne Dugger Memorial Scholarship; Anna Orlovtsev (child of Local 3652 member Stanislav Orlovstev), winner of the Education Committee Scholarship; and Local 2627 member Argenis Luna, winner of the Lillian Roberts Scholarship. Photo by Mike Lee.

  • Celebrating Our Heritage

    With the doors open at 125 Barclay St., DC 37’s Committee celebrations have returned in full force with community, dance, storytelling, delicious cuisines, cultural performances, and calls to action. Jewish Heritage Committee Elected leaders and DC 37 members honored the contributions of Jewish workers in building the labor movement at the DC 37 Jewish Heritage Celebration on May 22. From left: Local 1189 NYC Psychologists President and Chair of the DC 37 Jewish Heritage Committee, Dr. Leonard Davidman, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, NYC Council Member Julie Menin, DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido, David G. Greenfield, Chief Executive Officer, Met Council, Local 1407 Grievance Rep and committee member Igor Galanter, and NYPD Chief Chaplain Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass, who is also a Local 299 member. Photo by Mike Lee. Latino Heritage Committee Members of the DC 37 Latino Heritage Committee marched down Fifth Avenue during the 68th Annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 8. The committee, which is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month as PEPTalk goes to press, is chaired by SSEU Local 371 Executive Vice President Doris Murphy and works to encourage Latino members to become involved in the union as leaders within their locals, in the [...]

  • 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 [...]

  • 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 [...]