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PEP Jul-Aug 2016
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Public Employee Press


DC 37 CELEBRATES ITS DIVERSITY

Jewish Heritage
Union service and achievement lauded

BY MIKE LEE

The DC 37 Jewish Heritage Committee held its 21st annual celebration at union headquarters in Manhattan on May 31.

The evening was festive with music and humor, but also with moving tributes to the contributions and commitment to service of recently passed union activists, such as Local 371's Richard Gross and Shirley Gray, as well as for Alan Mendelson from Local 154.

Preparing for the future

Local 299 member Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass spoke of the divergent streams that make up the union movement. After his speech, Rabbi Kass received an award from Local 1189 President and Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Dr. Leonard Davidman in appreciation for his service as a New York Police Dept. Chaplain since 1966.

In his remarks, DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido focused on the importance of preparing for the next generation of civil servants entering the city workforce. Possibly a quarter of current city workers are eligible for retirement within the next few years, and the union is stepping up its efforts to press the city to work with DC 37 to help prepare these future public workers to provide vital services for all New Yorkers, Garrido said.

"If we do not train the city's workforce to take over these jobs, we are not going to be successful," Garrido said. "We must have the means where we can train our young people out of college to be the next generation of civil engineers, the next generation of IT workers, architects, and our nurses."

City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Letitia James followed. Stringer spoke about working with union leadership to reform the city's pension system, growing the fund and bolstering retirement security and accountability. "Like DC 37, we have an obligation to do more for people and that is what we believe in fundamentally, and that is what this union has championed," he said.

James spoke of the unity and shared history of the African American and Jewish communities. She said, "We have a common bond, and what we should do is celebrate that, and, as a result of that, our humanity and shared struggle, our communities will continue to forge this strong connection."











 
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