Bargain for Good: Bargaining Survey
Participating in our bargaining survey helps us win strong contracts that respond to members’ needs and win dignity and respect on the job. Participate now so our Local 768 bargaining committee can identify priorities for our next unit contract, build campaigns to advance these goals, and organize beyond the bargaining table and engage coworkers at the workplace and in our communities. Click here to complete your survey https://www.local768.net/bargaining_survey
In this issue
- Bargain for Good: Bargaining Survey
- Pride & Juneteenth
- 3% Increase and retro pay
- Chapter Elections
- Front Line & Fearless: AFSCME 46th International Convention
- In the News: Homes for City Workers
- Contribute! Share your story!
- Join Us: Upcoming Meetings & Social Committee Summer
Bargain for Good: Bargaining Survey
Participating in our bargaining survey helps us win strong contracts that respond to members’ needs and win dignity and respect on the job. Participate now so our Local 768 bargaining committee can identify priorities for our next unit contract, build campaigns to advance these goals, and organize beyond the bargaining table and engage coworkers at the workplace and in our communities. Click here to complete your survey https://www.local768.net/bargaining_survey, so our Local 768 bargaining committee can identify priorities for our next unit contract, and build campaigns to advance these goals.
We also ask about your community connections. Why? Members are often the greatest resource for connecting to potential community allies. We’re workers and members of our community, parents, people of faith, and belong to many kinds of organizations. By mapping our rich web of connections we can start to build a broader movement to win improvements for ourselves and our community.
In order to win a strong contract, we will have to organize beyond the bargaining table and engage coworkers at the workplace and in our communities.
Our union is how we collaborate to strengthen our collective power at work, and protect and care for all members, and all New Yorkers. Have questions about our contract? Ideas? Concerns? Contact us. We look forward to hearing from you. Let us all continue the work as members of OUR Union.
Carmen De León, President and Local 768 Leadership Team, DC37, AFSCME
Pride & Juneteenth
This month we celebrate liberation: Pride and Juneteenth. Join DC 37’s Black History Committee to uplift and connect our histories of Black freedom struggle, and our Pride Diversity Interest Group (PDIG) to support all union members in the lesbian, gay, bi, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) family.
3% Increase and retro pay
We received an update that the May 26 increase of 3% for both DOHMH, Mayoral Agencies and Blue Collar will be in July 2024 and will include retroactive payments from May 26, 2024 until June 15, 2024.
For H+H the May 26, 2024 increase of 3% will be in July 2024, with retro to come at a later date.
For all City agencies and H+H this can change. If there is a change to the payments we will notify you via text, email, and post on the Local 768 website, at local768.net.
Chapter elections
We’re proceeding with elections for several Title-Group Chapters. Our Constitution allows for Chapters to form for any title group with at least 50 members (see details at www.local768.net/chapters). We’ve recently initiated elections for the following groups:
- Early Childhood Education Consultants (ECEC): Congratulations to the new chapter leadership Robyn Coghlan (Chair), Andrea Taylor (Vice-Chair), and Marina Smirnov (Secretary).
- Public Health Sanitarians (PHS): Congratulations Andrewsky Emmanuel for winning Chairperson, and Rachel Molina for Secretary; a run-off election is being scheduled for Vice-Chairperson.
- Public Health Advisors and Assistants (PHA/Asst)
- DCWP Inspectors
- Social Workers: After serving for an initial 2 years, it’s time for new elections (nominations will conclude at the June 12th mtg)
We are also holding interest meetings for the title chapters that are close to forming. Here’s how chapter elections work:
- An informational meeting to confirm we have enough interest to proceed
- Schedule nominations (collected online and also in a live meeting). We need about a month to plan, so that everyone can receive a postcard notification
- Schedule elections for any positions where there is more than one confirmed nominee. This can take 6-8 weeks to complete.
- Hold a run-off election if no candidate wins initial election (another approx 4 weeks)
Interested in helping form a chapter for your title?
Front Line & Fearless: AFSCME 46th International Convention
AFSCME’s International Convention is August 12-16, in Los Angeles, California. Conventions are a great opportunity to participate in making resolutions, and build a stronger, more united labor movement.
In the News:
Homes for City Workers
Do you dream of owning your own home or apartment? Join the campaign to fight for affordable homeownership for city workers, in which city workers with 5 years of service could apply for city pension funds to pay either half of the purchase price or half of the appraised value, whichever is less, of a house or apartment purchased by qualified city workers. The funds would then own 50 percent of the house and be entitled to half of the sales price if the home is sold. Read more here.
Expanding Access to Licensed Creative Arts Therapy
Both the senate and assembly passed a bill to allow licensed creative arts therapists (LCAT’s) to bill Medicaid directly for their services, which is now awaiting the governor’s signature. This legislation will provide greater access to mental health care, enabling more NYers to benefit from creative arts therapy. Thanks to Local 768 LCAT Rajesh Mehra, Gabrielle Fidis and the group of Rikers LCATs who met with Senator Brouk and Assemblymember Bronson.
Contribute! Share your story!
Want to contribute to the next Local 768 Newsletter? Share your photos, your writing, your poetry, your drawings, your comics, cartoons, and more: https://www.local768.net/content_submission. Thank you!
Join Us: Upcoming Meetings & Social Committee Summer
- Tonight, June 11, 8 pm: Rescheduled: All MAT Leaders / Stewards are invited to attend Bargaining Committee meeting
- Wed, June 12: Social Work Chapter Meeting
- Staten Island FerryHawks: *POSSIBLY* Sat July 13 @ 6:30pm, Tickets start at $13.
- Jul 17: MAT/Stewards Committee
- Jul 19-20: Join DC37 for Yankees Games
- July 24: General Membership meeting
- DC37 Yankees Games: tickets start at $57: Fri July 19, 7pm * priority (to meet up with Kathleen and Jacqui) or Sat July 20, 1pm
- Family roller skating event & Picnic in Brooklyn Bridge Park, August 3, 2-4 pm, RSVP at https://www.local768.net/summer_picnic.
- Brooklyn Cyclones: Sun Aug 25th, 2pm, Tickets start at $15