DC 37 Members for a Stronger Contract Petition

DC 37 Bargaining Committee, Mayor Mamdani, and Governor Hochul

As DC37 union members we can’t afford to live in the city we serve. We’re crushed between our rising costs and stagnant wages. Rents have increased 22% more than our pay since 2009.

We keep New York City running in our parks, schools, museums, and our city’s hospitals. We answer the phone when New Yorkers need our help and administer social services. We’re the paramedics who save lives and the custodians who keep our buildings open. We cook lunch for our city’s children at school, protect the public from pandemics, and plan our city’s future. Our labor provides fresh drinking water to more than 8.5 million people.

We serve New York City, and we should afford New York City. 88% of DC37 members we surveyed said their wages have not kept up with the cost of living.

Our Petition

For our lives to be sustainable, we, the rank-and-file of the union, need the following in the DC37 Economic Agreement when it expires in November 2026:

  1. At least $30/hour to ensure that all DC37 members can afford to live in New York City. Mayor Mamdani promised this during his campaign - we are holding him to it.

  2. 6.5% yearly raises for the next 5 years to ensure that our raises outpace our rising rents and cost-of-living.

  3. Codify telework and compressed schedules into the contract, not as a pilot. Telework and compressed-schedules should be rights, not privileges that can be revoked by a manager. Compensate workers who aren’t given either option.

  4. Cover all of our work-related costs. From our uniforms to civil service exam fees, our employer should be responsible for covering the full costs related to doing our jobs.

  5. Expand transit benefits by covering MTA fare for all DC37 members to offset our commuting costs. Mayor Mamdani campaigned on making buses free for all New Yorkers. He can start with our union.

Finally, we deserve to know what is in our contract before we are asked to vote on it. Rank-and-file DC37 members should be informed and involved during the negotiations. We should be able to read the full tentative agreement language at least 30 days before any ratification vote, attend negotiation sessions between DC37 and City negotiators and be fully informed of its progress.

If these demands are not met, we will VOTE NO on the tentative agreement.

See below for additional demands related to our working conditions:


To: DC 37 Bargaining Committee, Mayor Mamdani, and Governor Hochul
From: [Your Name]

We, the rank-and-file of the union, need the following in the DC37 Economic Agreement when it expires in November 2026:

1. At least $30/hour to ensure that all DC37 members can afford to live in New York City. Mayor Mamdani promised this during his campaign - we are holding him to it.

2. 6.5% yearly raises for the next 5 years to ensure that our raises outpace our rising rents and cost-of-living.

3. Codify telework and compressed schedules into the contract, not as a pilot. Telework and compressed-schedules should be rights, not privileges that can be revoked by a manager. Compensate workers who aren’t given either option.

4. Cover all of our work-related costs. From our uniforms to civil service exam fees, our employer should be responsible for covering the full costs related to doing our jobs.

5. Expand transit benefits by covering MTA fare for all DC37 members to offset our commuting costs. Mayor Mamdani campaigned on making buses free for all New Yorkers. He can start with our union.

Finally, we deserve to know what is in our contract before we are asked to vote on it. Rank-and-file DC37 members should be informed and involved during the negotiations. We should be able to read the full tentative agreement language at least 30 days before any ratification vote, attend negotiation sessions between DC37 and City negotiators and be fully informed of its progress.

If these demands are not met, we will VOTE NO on the tentative agreement.

Beyond these demands, there are many other issues that impact DC37 members and the public services we provide. The following issues are also deeply-felt by everyday union members:

a. Fix Civil Service by filling vacancies, establishing protections against understaffing, and expediting hiring, raise, and title-change approvals, Offer civil service exams regularly.

b. Set standards to protect us from climate change and workplace hazards. Establish temperature and air quality standards for indoor and outdoor worksites, and confirm with regular testing. Compensate workers who are required to work in-person during climate emergencies, including flooding. Ensure safe & clean worksites by maintaining our buildings, updating HVAC systems, and combating rodent/pest infestations. Take care of workers who are injured on the job, and help us navigate the complexities of workers compensation.

c. Establish parity for the use of sick leave and other benefits with private-sector labor law. Expand the allowable use of sick leave to cover prenatal leave and expanded parental leave. Remove limitations on the use of sick leave to take care of family & friends, for bereavement, and for mental health. Reduce documentation requirements for usage of sick leave. These are benefits that are required in the private sector under the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA).

d. Stop outsourcing public service to private companies and non-profits that overcharge the city. Audit contracts, and let DC37 public workers administer public services. If the city can pay 6% more every year in outsourced contracts to private companies and non-profits, then it can pay 6.5% more every year to the workers who run this city so we can afford our rent and groceries.

e. Limit use of AI in our workplaces and set standards for its use. Savings in time and money from technological innovation should be used to enhance our ability to serve the public, not replace civil servants or compromise our decision-making and privacy.