Covid-19 response

Schumer and L. 420’s Charles say: FEMA pay H+H $860M for COVID NOW!

July 28, 2021 // 0 Comments

BY DIANE S. WILLIAMS In July, DC 37 leaders stood with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Congress member Ritchie Torres at Lincoln Hospital to demand $860 million in emergency reimbursements that FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, owes New York City Health + Hospitals. As New York City quickly became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Schumer and a delegation of New York officials led the campaign for FEMA to reimburse emergency medical expenses. ”This is an injustice that we are fighting to correct,” said Carmen Charles, President of Local 420. “It’s time FEMA cut the bureaucratic red tape and pay up! Our members, along with thousands of other first responders, have worked tirelessly since March 2020 to get New York through this COVID-19 pandemic. We need that money NOW!” “Listen to this, FEMA,” Schumer said. “H+H expanded [More...]

Giving Back During the Pandemic

July 9, 2021 // 0 Comments

By MIKE LEE Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, DC 37’s essential workers stood tall in serving the public under the most difficult situations the city has ever faced. Communities throughout New York City suffered, both from the unprecedented health crisis and the economic dislocation that it created. Two-thirds of the union’s 150,000 workers were deemed essential and went to work in-person every day. Some paid the ultimate price for their sacrifice. Our essential workers were not our only heroes, however. Other DC 37 members went above and beyond in taking the time to help at-risk communities; volunteering to help those most in need. Their contributions were vital in keeping people whole. A prime example has been the work of Local 2627 member Elias Barreto. Barreto, a 20-year veteran of the Department of Transportation in Internet Technologies, stepped forward with others to help his [More...]

The LATEST NEWS, UPCOMING EVENTS and SERVICES YOU CAN USE

July 6, 2021 // 0 Comments

9/11 WTC HEALTH WORKSHOP The DC 37 Safety and Health Department invites members to attend a virtual workshop with the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund on Thursday July 15, at 6:30 PM. Hear from experts Maria L. Lugo, Sr. Program Coordinator, World Trade Center Health Program, Clinical Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai, Nicole P. Smith, September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Associate Special Master and Anthony Gardner, September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Director of Communications & External Affairs. To join, please REGISTER HERE: https://webinar.ringcentral.com/webinar/register/WN_ssxK1qy7SEqmKvn9s07mTA Registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the webinar. For assistance, please call Safety and Health Department: 212.815.1685 or email: safety@dc37.net ### SUMMER [More...]

#DC37GETSVACCINATED

June 20, 2021 // 0 Comments

Raul Domenech, Local 1501 President I am a Senior Attendant at the New York Aquarium, where I clean and maintain the grounds. As an essential worker, I come in contact with the public daily. As a union leader, I want to set an example, so I decided to get the shot. I did my research. The information on the union website helped me make my decision. I got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April. During the height of the pandemic, I was very concerned for my family and my coworkers. There was so much misinformation circulating back then. We didn’t know much about the coronavirus. At first, there was a shortage of PPE. I remember I met the DC 37 Safety Director Deborah Williams a few times in a Bronx parking lot to get masks for my members. I know coworkers who got sick from COVID-19. They were out of work for six weeks, two months. Some still have long-term effects from COVID. I [More...]

COVID-19 Cases Expose Workers’ Comp Failures

June 20, 2021 // 0 Comments

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS Calling for immediate policy changes to fix the broken New York State Workers’ Compensation system, a coalition of unions joined the New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) and attorney Robert E. Grey on April 27, to say the Workers’ Compensation system has failed some 250,000 workers who got sick on the job from COVID-19. The group introduced policy changes and new state legislation (S.1241 and S.1721) that would make Workers’ Comp more accessible to workers sickened by coronavirus, regardless of language or immigration status. At the virtual press conference, Sen. Jessica Ramos, Chair of the state Labor Committee, said the legislation is an “effort to get more workers just relief.” The report authored by Grey revealed that of the 250,000 workers with symptomatic COVID-19, less than 10%, or just 21,000 workers, applied for [More...]

#DC37GETSVACCINATED

June 15, 2021 // 0 Comments

Eddie Rodriguez, President, Local 1549 A friend of mine was very concerned about my health, so she made an appointment for me to get the COVID-19 vaccine. On Feb. 28, I got my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine and I took my second dose in March. I have hypertension and I am pre-diabetic. Due to these health concerns, I decided to get the vaccine. I did it because of my age and because I love my family. Now that I have my COVID-19 vaccine card, I carry it as proudly as I do my union card. I had no reaction to the vaccine. I know people are afraid. We cannot control how our bodies will react to the vaccine, but the fact is that the coronavirus kills. Whatever reaction we have is certainly not as serious as the potential of being infected and becoming very sick and dying. If you love yourself and you love your family, you have to get the COVID vaccine. Don’t think because you’re [More...]

NEWS, SECTION 8, UPCOMING EVENTS and SERVICES

May 25, 2021 // 0 Comments

APPLY FOR SECTION 8 RENT SUBSIDY NOW Waitlist Now Open Thru May 28, 2021 The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, commonly known as Section 8, is a federal program designed to provide rental assistance to low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. The New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR) opened the Section 8 waiting list on May 17 thru May 28, 11:59 PM. Applications will not be accepted outside of this period. For information visit: https://hcr.ny.gov/section8. There is no cost to submit an application. DHCR will select 15,000 households for the waitlist through a lottery. Applying does not guarantee a voucher. Applicants must be 18 or older. The income limits are set annually by HUD: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il20/Section8-IncomeLimits-FY20.pdf Only on-line [More...]

NEWS, UPCOMING EVENTS and SERVICES

May 11, 2021 // 0 Comments

PSU: HELP FOR ANXIETY The Personal Service Unit (PSU) of DC 37’s Health and Security Plan would like to offer information and coping techniques for Anxiety. This past year has been filled with challenges, disruptions, fears and losses. As we transition to increasing in-person activities, we may feel additional Anxiety. Anxiety is a mental health condition characterized by feelings of worry and fear that may interfere with one’s daily activities. Common physical symptoms are panic attacks, racing heart rate, chest palpitations, rapid breathing and irritability. Common psychological symptoms are racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, catastrophizing, or obsessive thinking. The following are some useful strategies for coping with Anxiety: *Pay attention to your thoughts as they influence your feelings and behavior. Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with ones that [More...]

COVID-19 Cases Expose Workers’ Comp Failures

May 7, 2021 // 0 Comments

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS Calling for immediate policy changes to fix the broken New York State Workers’ Compensation system, a coalition of unions joined The New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) and attorney Robert E. Grey on April 27, to say the Workers Compensation system has failed some 250,000 workers who got sick from COVID-19 on the job. The group introduced policy changes and new state legislation (S. 1241 and S. 1721) that would make Workers’ Comp more accessible to workers sickened by coronavirus, regardless of language or immigration status. At the virtual press conference Sen. Jessica Ramos, Chair of the state Labor Committee, said the legislation is an “effort to get more workers just relief.” The report authored by Grey revealed that of the 250,000 workers with symptomatic COVID-19, less than 10 percent, or just 21,000 workers, applied for [More...]

Essential Workers #GetVaccinated

May 4, 2021 // 0 Comments

Laura Morand, Local 2627 President I got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Feb 12. I could have gotten it a month early as a Fire Department employee, but I was hesitant. I developed a lack of trust in the medical system after I was misdiagnosed on March 25, 2020. That day I was rushed by ambulance to Franklin Hospital in Long Island. I had a 101 fever and difficulty breathing. I was weak, achy and dizzy. I was fast-tracked to see a doctor but he denied me a COVID test and did not check me out thoroughly despite my symptoms. He gave me two Tylenol and an asthma pump and sent me home. I believe that if I were a Caucasian woman, doctors would have tested me for everything including COVID-19. Instead, they put on a Band-Aid and sent me back to work. The way I was treated hurt me but I was too weak to do anything about it. When I didn’t get any better, I called our executive director [More...]