DC 37 and City Reach Deal to Help Attract More Lifeguards for NYC Beaches and Pools

Mayor Eric Adams and DC 37 reached a deal this week that boosts lifeguards' starting salary this year by almost 22-percent with a $1,000 retention bonus to be paid out in September. Last month, the city announced that “due to the national lifeguard shortage” it was canceling a wide array of programs including its Learn to Swim program. The shortfall in personnel had resulted in full or partial closures at pools and beaches with just 778 lifeguards on the roster, roughly half of pre-pandemic levels.

“The most important result of this agreement is that visitors to the city’s pools and beaches this summer will be safe and protected by professional lifeguards who are properly trained to handle any water emergency,” said Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37. “We thank Mayor Adams, Commissioner Campion and Commissioner Donoghue for listening to our concerns about the pressure of the national lifeguard shortage here at home. We will continue to work with the administration to recruit and retain the best candidates while protecting their collective bargaining rights.” Read more in LaborPress.