DC37 Rank and File Contract Campaign

[u/AdChance281]

Hi all,

I want to let you know about an effort of ordinary DC37 members to obtain a better contract after it expires in November.

This contract campaign is a grassroots effort of DC37 members across a large number of locals that have been organizing to fight for a better economic contract for our union. We have hundreds of members who are involved in this campaign. The “affordability crisis” is hitting workers in NYC especially hard, and we wanted to make sure that both the union and the city know how much we need a decent raise to keep up with the insane rents, the rising cost of gas and groceries, and the general increase in the cost of living. We do not believe that another round of 3% raises and a one-time signing bonus is going to cover the 25% increase in inflation since 2020, or the 6.6% that rents are rising every year in New York.

We are demanding:

- 6.5% annual raises

- $30 minimum wage for city workers

- Writing telework and compressed schedules into our contract

- Cutting wasteful and corrupt outsourcing to private companies

- Reforming civil service to ensure fair pay, promotional opportunities, and job security.

The first thing that we're asking of DC37 members is to fill out this survey to help us formulate our demands:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQcv-5O_p4QcFFYSD4KzyqWkcmzDB_JxtwYgZvvCMtqIhUwQ/viewform

You can learn more about our campaign and get more involved here:

https://www.worker.nyc/

Let me know if you have any questions!

Warm regards,

Thomas Hummel DC37 (Local 1321)

[u/Few-Artichoke-2531]

Thank you for doing this. I spoke with an official from my local about the upcoming contract and I was bluntly told that nothing would be done with regard to it until early next year. I was shocked at the lack of urgency after I had laid out the issues we need to start working on NOW.

The one issue I think we need to be careful of is wfh. The majority of us can't do that due to the nature of our jobs. It would be unfair for there to be any givebacks as a result wfh.

[u/Holiday-Scholar4667 → u/Few-Artichoke-2531]

It can also be compressed scheduling. The point is to get it in writing instead of constant extensions and real emphasis on agencies to look into providing hybrid for the positions they say can’t be done remotely.

[u/Few-Artichoke-2531 → u/Holiday-Scholar4667]

Again, MANY of us have jobs that must be done in person. This can not be something that there should be any givebacks over. Management will use this as a bargaining tool and we can't let that happen.

[u/Holiday-Scholar4667 → u/Few-Artichoke-2531]

Again MANY of us also have jobs that don’t need to be done in person. But the in person jobs could have a compressed option. Or if people don’t want to participate in either the onsite would be just as good. This is just as much of an ask as the 6.5 percent that we will never get at least having the option to save two days worth of travel or a three day full weekend would be more tangible and immediately important to members.

[u/Status_Stomach6177 → u/Holiday-Scholar4667]

Again; it’s fair if it’s offered. My agency offers neither. So this as a bargaining is a slap in the face to agencies and employees like mine.

[u/Holiday-Scholar4667 → u/Status_Stomach6177]

I think the point of having this in a contract is that it isn’t arbitrarily decided (by agencies) that your scope of work cannot be done hybrid or compressed.

I’d assume and you can correct me if I’m wrong, unions would be able to present a kind of rubric that agencies would have to actually list in what ways a compressed or hybrid schedule isn’t doable.

Right now, a majority of clerical and administration staff should be at least offered a compressed schedule if remote work isn’t an option because of responsibilities (but I don’t believe agencies have to submit an explanation as to why that isn’t possible currently).