Public Employee Press

Celebrating 65 great years

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

District Council 37 celebrated a monumental milestone at its 65th Anniversary Green Jubilee, a charity fundraiser that featured the mighty O’Jays and saxophonist Andre Ward at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in Lower Manhattan Oct. 23.

“Tonight we celebrate our historic journey that began 65 years ago. I am humbled to stand with leaders who have fought for the rights of our members to make a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

Roberts spearheaded the planning of the celebration, which was two years in the making. She came to the union 44 years ago to organize hospital workers and returned seven years ago as DC 37’s chief executive. “Our union is a rich part of the fabric of New York City, and we have much to celebrate,” she said.

AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy and Lee Saunders, executive assistant to President Gerald McEntee, former DC 37 executive directors Victor Gotbaum and Stanley Hill, local presidents, political leaders and more than 1,000 members and guests shared in the festivities. The celebration included a reception and concert at the Tribeca center, emceed by Denise Richardson, and a Green Carpet Gala at the union that featured the Eric Frazier Quintet and WBLS deejay Bob Lee.

The Platinum Partners who co-sponsored the jubilee were Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Emblem Health and DC 37’s parent union, AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Proceeds went to the newly formed DC 37 Public Service Employees Care Foundation charity, which will provide help for the Holiday Giving Program, families in crisis, disaster relief, housing assistance and more.

“Congratulations on a landmark occasion. Tonight we celebrate the achievements DC 37 has made though your activism, dedication, leadership and ability to set aside differences to rise to challenges in the battle for workers in America,” McEntee said in a video message.

Union grows larger, stronger

DC 37 began in 1944 with a few locals representing a handful of workers in the city Parks, Health and Finance departments and has grown to represent 125,000 unionized city employees in 56 locals and 50,000 retirees. The union is in the forefront of the struggles for dignity and fair pay on the job and civil rights and economic justice in the community, the fight to protect public services that help the city’s neediest, and the campaign to stop contracting out, privatization and layoffs.

“DC 37 is the bedrock of AFSCME,” said Saunders, who served as administrator of DC 37 from 1998 to 2002. “I have seen firsthand the dedication and conviction of the members of this great union, who came together in strength after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and kept this city running. DC 37 is the biggest, baddest, boldest union in the labor movement today!”