District Council 37 (also known as DC 37) is New York City's largest public sector employee union, representing over 150,000 members and 89,000 retirees.

It also successfully pressured Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr., to pass executive order 49, which recognized collective bargaining rights for public sector workers.

[2][3] Wurf became president of AFSCME in 1964 and was replaced later that year by Victor Gotbaum, who was Executive Director of DC 37 until 1987.

People who worked closely with Gotbaum included: Lillian Roberts, Associate Director in charge of Organization; Edwin Maher, Associate Director in charge of employees; Daniel Nelson, head of the Department of Research; Julius Topol, DC 37 counsel; Bernard Stephens, editor of the Public Employee Press; and Alan Viani, who took over as head of the Department of Research in 1973 after Nelson's death.

[6] On October 26, 2024, the union celebrated the 80th anniversary of receiving its charter from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) in its newly redeveloped headqarters at 125 Barclay Street in downtown Manhattan.