By JUSTINA RAMLAKHAN

This is a big year for political activity both nationally and locally, with presidential primaries in November and the turnover of 486 congressional seats. At the state level, there are a range of issues at play that could impact New York residents and working families.

The “Green Machine,” the historical nickname for the member-powered force that carries out District Council 37’s political program, is hard at work for the current legislative season.

This machine is comprised of members and their families who commit their free time outside of work as Volunteer Member Organizers (VMOs) with DC 37’s Political Action and Legislative Department. Members become intimately experienced with the daily operations carried out by the union, with opportunities to look behind the curtain as an active participant in the union’s political program.

VMOs are compensated for their time with a stipend and traditionally expected to complete a shift of four hours per day. VMOs under the supervision of the Political Action Team engage in phone banking, canvassing, lobby visits, and other civic engagement activities.

“I have enjoyed the experience I’ve had as a VMO with the Political Action Team,” said Seeta Singh, a member of Local 768 New York City Health Services Employees. “In addition to feeling good for doing my civic duty, I also get to meet members from other locals I wouldn’t normally meet.”

As the political climate shifts and changes, so, too, does the union’s legislative priorities to meet the needs of DC 37 members, retirees, and their families.

Tier 6 Reform

DC 37 supports reforms that provide the largest benefit to Tier 6 members who currently represent at least 50% of the workforce.

“Improving the pension tiering plan is a huge priority this season,” said Odetty Tineo, Director of the Political Action and Legislative Department. “DC 37 has been at the forefront of engaging all of the unions that represent public sector workers to gain wins in the budget for our members.”

As part of the season’s priorities, the union is calling on legislators to set employee contribution rates to 3% for all public workers. Current employee contribution rates are pegged to salaries

“Tier 6 has become an impediment to recruitment and retention for important public sector jobs, and contributes to the understaffing crisis,” Tineo said. “From public education to health care, and transportation to emergency services, employers at every level of government are struggling to recruit enough staff and encourage qualified individuals to stay in service.”

Union representatives are advocating to increase the multiplier for Tier 6 members to be comparable to Tier 4 and Tier 5, which would significantly increase benefits for future retirees.

Additionally, the union seeks to extend the current Overtime Exclusion policy that is set to expire on March 31, 2024. The goal is to make it a more permanent benefit as mandatory overtime continues to be a challenge for many workers since the pandemic. Working overtime often increases the contribution requirement because of the additional hours, leaving workers with less autonomy over their paychecks than expected.

Affordable Housing

As a requirement of employment with New York City, most public sector workers are required to live within the five boroughs to maintain their jobs. This is complicated by the affordable housing crisis the city faces, posing challenges to members struggling to afford the cost of living.

DC 37, together with the Hotel Trades Council (HTC) and 32BJ SEIU, supports a housing package that includes a significant commitment to building more affordable housing units while strengthening tenant protections.

Presently, when a lease expires for most apartments or homes, renewal is at the discretion of the landlord who may also choose to raise the rent without justification. The union supports the inclusion of the Good Cause Eviction bill in the final budget, which aims to protect tenants from unreasonable rent hikes and retaliatory or discriminatory evictions.

Workers’ Compensation Reform

DC 37 supports strengthening the Workers’ Compensation system to better serve injured workers and their families. This includes expanding current definitions of what qualifies as a work-related injury and stress, to include both physical and mental health.

Public-facing social service providers, 911 operators, health care workers, and human service workers who experience or witness violence as part of their job responsibilities are among those represented by the union who would benefit from the proposed reforms.

The union supports legislation that would require an initial hearing for each injured worker who requests one to occur within 45 days of the request. The hearing would require a representative who would screen the claim and make sure injured workers are aware of their rights throughout the process.

Efforts to improve the Workers’ Compensation system also include amending the definition of “temporary total disability” as the inability to work at the job that the injury occurred on, or on a job that has been modified by the employer for the worker’s ability. This allows injured workers to receive 66.5% of their weekly wage for the duration of the time they are unable to work.

DC 37 supports these pro-worker policies with the intention of advancing the safety and well-being of working-class families.