January 2022

[The Public]

[The Public] is Local 768’s new monthly bulletin compiled by members of Local 768. By giving updates on union developments and events between membership meetings, we hope to help inform members and encourage involvement in our union’s democracy.

President's memo | Happenings | Action Board | Today in Labor

Sisters and Brothers of Local 768,

The New Year has begun, and as the year begins like last year, the hope is 2022 will be a better year.  So many in our Local and our union have suffered on many levels.  From continued loss of family, friends, coworkers, and those in our community, it has been heartbreaking. Through all of this we, members of Local 768 have shown up to work, whether at a vaccine pod or an H+H healthcare facility, in NYC Schools, or performing inspections at NYCHA or businesses. Many of our members work outdoors in all weather conditions, while others work on Rikers Island in very unsafe conditions. Your dedication to this City is on display at every turn, and as cliché as it sounds, you are the ones who make this City run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Against this backdrop, no one is highlighting the many shortages across all city agencies, due to the mandates, and poor implementation of the return to work mandate by former Mayor de Blasio.

As the Local leadership team of Local 768 moves into our second year, we recognize there is so much more to do. We continue to strive to improve our communication with the members in the field.  We as your Local leadership team count on you to make us aware of the issues being faced at your worksites and to help us to enforce our contracts.  Make no mistake, there is an effort to weaken our rights as union members and/or eliminate them all together - by management, by big business and on the national level.  We as union members need to be involved to stave off these attacks.

I have heard the voices of those who feel I, as the President, have catered to certain groups within the Local. Moving forward in the coming year more outreach will take place, as the pandemic will allow.

Local 768 has a website www.local768.net with a wealth of information and links that I, and the team encourage members to use as a resource.  We have links to the Economic, Citywide, and Unit Bargaining Contracts.  These contracts are the basis for your pay, your rights, and so much more. The more you know as a member the stronger you are as an individual, and the stronger our union becomes. And take it from me, the more frustrated management will get since they count on members not knowing their contract to take advantage of you.

From the leadership team, who work side by side with all of you, thank you for your toughness and diligence in coming to work and providing services to the Citizens of this City.

In Solidarity,

President Carmen De León,
               and
Local 768 Leadership Team

DC 37 CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH
"Educating our Heritage, While Empowering a Healthier Generation"

Celebrate Black History month with the DC 37 Black History Committee. Join us on Virtual Opening Night Tuesday Feb. 1 at 6 PM, which will be sponsored by Local 1930.

"Celebrating as We Rise," is this year's theme for Local 371's virtual Black History event on Feb. 4. Music starts at 5 PM and the program begins at 6 PM. Visit www.mightyunion.org for the link and event details.

Local 1407 celebrates Black history virtually on Feb. 15 at 6 PM. On Feb. 25 at 6 PM join Local 372's online celebration. On Feb. 26, Local 1930 will host a midday Black history celebration at 12 noon.

Finale Night sponsored by Local 1930 and the DC 37 Black History Committee is on Monday Feb. 28 at 6 PM, which you can join here.

For more information on DC 37 Black History Month events, please see the monthly union calendar at www.dc37.net

🎥🎥

Virtual Film Showing: The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution

Monday, February 7, 6-7:15PM: THE POWER TO HEAL is an hour-long documentary about a dramatic chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans. Central to the story is how a new national program, Medicare, was used to mount a momentous, coordinated effort that desegregated thousands of hospitals across the country practically overnight.  

A screening of the film will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker Barbara Berney, a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. health care system. Dr. Berney is an Emeritus Associate Professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health and Health Management. Co-hosted by New York Labor History Association and the PSC Retiree Chapter and co-sponsored by NYU Tamiment-Wagner. Click here to register!

🖇🖇

Long-haul COVID-19 Workers Compensation Webinar

Wednesday, February 23, 12-1PM: New York State is offering new, online educational opportunities to help workers who believe they contracted COVID-19 due to an exposure at work, especially those suffering from ongoing long-haul symptoms. This series of webinars offered through the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board will provide information on workers’ rights when it comes to filing a workers’ compensation claim and the cash and/or medical benefits they may be eligible to receive.

Those with a work-related injury or illness have two years from the date of becoming injured or ill to file a workers’ compensation claim, so the deadline is approaching for workers who contracted COVID-19 due to their employment in the early days of the pandemic. Click here for more information and to register. Additional webinars will take place on March 9, and April 13.

Action Board

🗳 Nominations for Social Work Chapter leadership are currently being accepted through 2/15/22. 

Chapter leaders are elected by members of their own Chapter. To learn more about the roles and responsibilities for these positions, or if you’d like to help start one for your title, visit About->Chapters.

📜 Local 768 is pushing for fair treatment of Medical Records Specialists

🧑‍💻 Telecommuting

Earlier this month, Local 768 co-hosted a phone bank to support a NY State bill that would require NYC agencies to establish permanent telework policies for its staff. Thanks to everyone who participated, we made over 500 calls to legislators, and since then several more cosponsors have signed onto the bill! Yet we still have more work to do to get it passed -

SAVE THE DATE! Next General Membership meeting Wed March 9, 6:30PM (RSVP)

This month in Labor History

Jan 3

Eight thousand New York City social workers strike, demanding better conditions for welfare recipients - 1965

Jan 25

• A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union, made the official call for a March on Washington, with the demand to end segregation in defense industries. The threatened March on Washington led to Executive Order 8802, stating that there should be “no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or Government because of race, creed, color, or national origin.” - 1941

• Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, opened her historic campaign for U.S. President in Brooklyn, New York. - 1972