Union Strong

The state of New York has lost thousands of public sector workers over the past decade. Recruiting and retaining public employees is reaching a crisis level.

In addition, dedicated public sector workers who risked their lives during the pandemic could be inadvertently penalized for the overtime they worked throughout the crisis.

On the latest Union Strong podcast, we talk about reforming the state’s pension system, to address these issues.

New York State AFL-CIO Legislative Director Mike Neidl is our guest.

Learn more about tier 6 here >>>

Call or write your state legislators about tier 6 >>> 

Nursing home workers at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston, New York held a one-day strike to draw attention to their contract fight over fair wages. Tomorrow, that fight moves to St. Louis Missouri.

The nursing home workers are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and have been without a contract since December 31, 2021. Already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, these caregivers are now working critically short-staffed while their employer, Ascension Living shuts down units and threatens layoffs.

On the latest Union Strong Podcast, a worker describes the conditions inside the nursing home, a union representative gives details on the contract fight, and we hear from our partners at the Missouri AFL-CIO.

Click here to sign the petition for the Our Lady of Peace workers.

Click here for the details about the March 15th event in St. Louis.

Working New Yorkers have put themselves at risk throughout this entire pandemic. Many workers died after being exposed to the virus on the job and countless others became ill. 

And now, as we reach the 2-year mark since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are learning more about long-haul symptoms.

That’s why the New York State AFL-CIO wants to help get the word out on how critical it is for every worker who believes they were exposed to COVID-19 at work, to file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board. 

On this podcast, we will talk to the Chair of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board and we will hear from an advocate for injured workers to educate workers on their rights and explain the process for filing a claim.

Get info or file a claim on the NYS Workers Compensation Board website >>>

Webinar Series for Workers on Workers' Compensation and COVID-19 >>>

Call 877-632-4996 or email [email protected] for assistance from the NYS Workers Compensation Board.

Follow the NYS Workers Compensation Board on social media:

Facebook: @NYSWCB 

Instagram: @NYSWorkersCompBoard

Twitter: @NYSWorkersComp

Workers at Starbucks stores across the country are banding together and filing for union recognition at a pace not seen in recent memory, and it all started in Buffalo, New York.

On the latest Union Strong podcast, one of the workers leading the campaign gives us an inside look into what it’s like taking on a corporate giant determined to stand in the way. And Workers United Secretary-Treasurer Edgar Romney joins us to discuss the unique way the campaign started and what’s next.

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for teachers and support staff, students, and their parents.

Now the 600,000 member New York State United Teachers has turned those challenges into an opportunity.

NYSUT brought together a group of education professionals from across the state to come up with ideas on how to support public schools to build a brighter future for students.

On the latest Union Strong podcast, we talk to three teachers who were a part of the Future Forward Task Force and get their insight on what their classrooms are like today and what the future of public education should look like.  

Link to report  https://futureforwardny.org/

For most workers, overtime pay after 40 hours was a victory won over 80 years ago, but shockingly for farmworkers it’s a battle still being fought.

Farmworkers in New York State won some very basic rights in 2019 with passage of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act. 

Those rights which the New York State AFL-CIO had been fighting for, for years include: the right to organize a union, a mandatory day of rest, and the right to overtime pay.

But the overtime threshold remains unfairly high at 60 hours per week. 

On the latest Union Strong podcast our guest is the former president of the New York State AFL-CIO, Denis Hughes.

Denis represents Labor on the Department of Labor's Farm Labor's Wage Board which is scheduled to meet on the overtime threshold within weeks. 

On the latest episode of the Union Strong podcast, we learn how unions are helping veterans find a pathway to the American dream.

Our guest is Will Attig who is a U.S. Army Veteran and serves as the Executive Director of the Union Veterans Council at the AFL-CIO.

Will discusses the benefits of belonging to the Union Veterans Council and how it helps veterans transition from military service to civilian life and a solid middle class job.

Voters have an opportunity in the 2021 general election to make changes to the state constitution.

The Labor Movement is supporting two of the propositions; Prop 2 and Prop 4. 

Prop 2 would add environmental rights to the state constitution. 

Prop 4 would allow no excuse absentee voting.

On this podcast we discuss what the propositions are about and why they have the support of working people.