To Our Members--

As the libraries in NYC implement their reopening plans, our members in Local 1482 now have to confront the realities of returning to their physical workspaces, and questioning whether our work environments are truly safe.  The Executive Board of Local 1482 acknowledges the concerns our members have expressed during this transition, and we reassure you that your safety and security are our top concern.  You have a right to a workplace that protects your health, the library is obligated to provide it, and the union will protect you and hold the library accountable if your workspaces are not safe.

First and foremost, we expect the library’s decisions will adhere to public health guidance, and guidelines for negotiating public spaces and workplaces, as issued by the CDC, and New York State, and the NYC Department of Health, as well as the Working Conditions Contract between the library and Local 1482.  

Taking these documents into account, and holding the health and safety of our members paramount, we make the following demands regarding the reopening of our workplaces to staff and the public:

• That PPE and cleaning supplies are plentiful, and are restocked regularly. 

 

• That clear, comprehensive signage is put in place that communicates mask requirements, and promotes social distancing.

 

• That cleanliness and wiping down of frequently used surfaces in both public and staff areas is a top priority.

 

• That branches and work locations are not rushed too quickly from one step to another in the reopening plan, and that the library provides our members with adequate time between steps for review, reflection, and training.

 

• That processes and physical spaces are configured well in advance and in a way that drastically minimizes, if not eliminates, unsafe confrontations with library users.

 

• That the library responds concretely to members’ concerns about enforcement of public masking.  Work locations should be provided with masks in different sizes for different ages. Further, mask compliance, or lack of it, should play a role in deciding processes and determining timelines for work locations in contemplating moving them from one step to another.

• That the library will recognize and respond to the unique needs and challenges of members who are parents and caregivers in these difficult and uncertain circumstances.

• That staff working from home are provided the technology and training needed to meet the expectations of the library, and the initiatives they promote.

And finally...

• We demand the union be involved in decision-making as work locations move through steps in the reopening plan from this point onward.

Since lockdown began in March, our interactions with the library have largely involved their reaching out to the union after-the-fact about decisions already reached.  In recent days, the union has been able to engage in a dialogue with the library. And as a result, the union has achieved agreement on the following:

• That work locations will be provided with a cleaning checklist, to be delivered the week of July 13.
• That members who have  previously been instructed to clock in on Sum Total will not have to do so.

More work locations will open in different phases in the coming days and weeks.  The demands above are not comprehensive or locked in place,  We recognize they can change and added to based on the evolving public health environment and issues that arise in our members’ work locations in the coming weeks.  

To that end, we invite our membership to report conditions and areas of concern about their work lives, especially now that reopening has moved beyond paper and documents and Zoom meetings, and into our members’ lives and everyday movements.  We have created a form, located here, where you can share information with what’s going on and what you observe.  The content submitted will be accessible to everyone serving on the Executive Board of Local 1482, which we feel will expedite responses, provide perspectives across a variety of titles and levels of experience, and will allow us to track trends and patterns.  

If you are not able to fill out the form, please reach out to any member currently serving on the Executive Board.

We thank you in advance for your submissions and feedback.  Please be well.

DC37 has launched a Covid-19 website that serves as a clearinghouse of information and support for its members and retirees.  It includes:

• A FAQ that defines which titles are considered essential services, and provides up-to-date information on pay.
  
• Worksite Updates issued by a number of City departments and agencies.
  
•  Covid-19 Resources from the City, State, and CDC.   
  
• Contact Information for DC 37.
  
• Information about Government Benefits available to workers from New York State and the Federal Government. 
  

The DC37 offices at 55 Water St. are currently closed, but staff are operating remotely.  Call the Professional Division at 212-815-1040 to inquire about matters related to Local 1482.

To all members, please be safe and please be well.

As a union member, you have the right to refuse to submit to a meeting with management or employer's investigatory interview without the presence of a union representative if you reasonably believe that the meeting or interview could result in disciplinary action.

These are your Weingarten Rights.  They are federal law, and they were guaranteed in a Supreme Court case back in 1975.  If you are ever summoned to a meeting with management that you feel can lead to disciplinary action against you, invoke your Weingarten Rights right away.  Refuse to answer questions or continue the discussion until you are provided with union representation. 

We have created a document to post on union bulletin boards in your work locations that provides members with language to use if they are ever called into what they believe is a disciplinary meeting with management.  The file is 8" x 6".  Print it out, and cut out around the border before posting (we get it that bulletin boards can get crowded, so we kept the document to half-page sized).

Find more information about your Weingarten Rights here. 

Please print out and display our schedule for Local 1482 meetings on your union bulletin boards, and share it with your colleagues.

The first General Membership meeting of 2019/2020 is Tuesday, October 1 at 7:00 pm and will be held in the Trustees Room of the Central Library.

General Membership meetings are an excellent opportunity to catch up on the latest news, and to discuss  issues and actions that matter to you.   We hope you can participate!

The date for the annual Labor Day Parade for all city unions is Saturday, September 7 at 11:00 am.

All members of Local 1482 are invited to march, as are your friends and loved ones, and everyone who supports labor and unions.

If you are able to join us, please wear your green DC37 t-shirt or baseball cap. The meeting place will be West 48th Street in Manhattan between 5th and 6th Avenues

Please download and print out the flyer, found here, and share it with your colleagues.

We'll see you on September 7th!

The Local 1482 family picnic is happening this Sunday!  It will take place on Sunday June 9, from 11 am to 5 pm and you'll find us near the Picnic House in Prospect Park, which is located near the entrance to the park at Prospect Park West and 4th St.  Bring the family, and join Local 1482 for food, fellowship, games, fun, and raffle prizes. 

Click on the image above to download a flyer to share with your colleagues.  We hope you and your family are able to join us on Sunday!

A paid leave benefit has been negotiated on behalf of DC37 members covered by the 2017-2021 economic agreement.

New York's Paid Family Leave provides job-protected time off so you can bond with a newly-born, adopted, or fostered child; care for a close relative with a serious health condition; or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service.

There are more details on Paid Family Leave, including eligibility and the weekly percentage of paid leave the benefit provides in the document below.  You can   download a PDF of the document here, and we have posted it in the Benefits & Services page of the Local 1482 website..

This fact sheet was prepared by the Research & Negotiations Department at DC37.

The first General Membership Meeting for 2018-2019 is scheduled on Tuesday October 2nd, at 7:00 pm in the Trustees Room of the Central Library.  As always, General Membership meetings are held on the the first Tuesday of the month in October, December, February, April, and June.  You can find the full schedule, along with other Local 1482 events, on the Meetings and Events page. 

We also have a flyer listing both the General Membership and Executive Board meetings, located here.  Please print it out and post it on the union bulletin boards in your work locations. 

All members of Local 1482 are welcome- and encouraged- to attend General Membership meetings when they are able to.  The union is as strong as its membership, and the General Membership meetings are your chance to vote on motions, add your thoughts to discussions, and get involved.  See you on October 2nd!

Ballots to vote on the new economic contract between DC37 and the City of New York were mailed to members' home addresses last week.  If you do not receive your ballot, reach out to a member of the Executive Board or send an email to local1482@gmail.com. 

The vote is being run by the American Arbitration Association, and ballots are due there no later than 9:00 am on Wednesday, August 14th.  Please mail in your ballots as soon as you can! 

It is important to follow the instructions for preparing your ballot, or it will be deemed invalid and will not count.  Voting instructions are found on the other side of the purple ballot.  Please read them carefully before marking your ballot or sealing it in the enclosed envelopes. 

We encourage members to vote 'Yes' on this agreement.  Besides providing raises totaling 7.42% over the 44 months of the contract, the contract is also notable for not including any givebacks on healthcare and promises increases in education and workplace skills training. 

If you have any questions about the contract, or the voting process, please reach out to a member of the Executive Board or send an email to local1482@gmail.com. 

There were a couple of major news stories this week you may have missed...

DC37 Reaches Tentative Agreement with the City for New Economic Contract
On June 25, DC37 reached a tentative agreement with the City on a new economic contract.  The 44-month contract provides 7.42% in wage hikes to the 100,000 members of DC 37, which includes members of Local 1482.  The previous contract expired in September, 2017.  The wage increases break down as follows: 

• Effective September 26, 2017 – 2.00%
• Effective September 26, 2018 – 2.25% compounded
• Effective October 26, 2019 – 3.0% compounded

The contract also preserves premium-free health insurance for DC37 members and retirees at least through 2021, due to negotiations with the Municipal Labor Council, which represents all the unions of all city workers.  In addition, DC37 and the City agreed to work together to opt-in to the New York Family Leave program by January, 2019.

The contract was approved by DC37 delegates.  Soon, secret ballots will be sent to all members to vote on the contract.  We'll share the dates the ballots will be distributed, and when they are due, once they are announced. 

You can read more about the contract about the contract at the DC37 website here and here.

Supreme Court Rules Against AFSCME in a 5-4 Decision in Janus vs. AFSCME Case
On Wednesday, the five justices in the majority vote of the Janus vs. AFSCME case dismantled 40 years of legal precedent by undermining public workers and their unions in favor of privileged, wealthy corporate interests.  The effects of this decision could eventually gut healthcare benefits, wages, and the ability to protect workplace health and safety of public sector workers. 

The five justices in the majority ruled that mandating agency fees for non-members is unconstitutional under the First Amendment.  Agency fees are paid by workers who choose not to belong in the union, but are represented by the union for contract bargaining, grievances, and other functions.  The court also ruled that unions must continue to represent non-members even if they opt out of paying agency fees.  This decision is designed to diminish revenue and erode membership and influence.

This article in Vox provides a solid overview on the significance of the Janus vs. AFSCME decision if you want to read more. 

You can read reaction from DC37 on the decision here and here.

Finally, if you have not yet signed a card to join or recommit to DC37, you can either reach out to a member of the Executive Board to provide you with a card, or you can sign up online on the DC37 site.  Encourage your coworkers and friends to fill out a card as well!  Our strength is in our numbers, and it will be through collective action that we can fight inequality and attacks on workers