With the summer swimming season around the corner, New York City grapples with its most severe shortage of lifeguards on record. Officials attribute this lifeguard shortage partly to a contentious dispute between the city and the relatively obscure yet remarkably influential unions representing lifeguards.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, the city unveiled its 14 miles of public beaches. Still, millions of New Yorkers now confront the likelihood of restricted beach access and limited pool availability when they open next month.
