NYC Multi-Agency Program to Address Public Safety
New York, NY – NYC Mayor Eric Adams has launched a multi-agency enforcement operation to address public safety and quality of life in the Elmhurst, North Corona, and Jackson Heights neighborhoods of Queens. Over the past year, members of the NYPD have been addressing community concerns about prostitution, illegal brothels, unlicensed vendors and food carts, retail theft and…
Amazon Teamsters rally for contract in Queens after filing retaliation charges
Amazon drivers are keeping up the pressure on the e-commerce giant after a majority of three of the company’s delivery contractors in Queens signed authorization cards to join the Amazon Teamsters union last month. The drivers gathered over half a dozen elected officials from Congress to local government on October 16 outside an Amazon facility…
NYC Building Trades Complete JFK Terminal 6
On October 2, 2024, hundreds of NYC union construction workers watched the final beams of structural steel be lifted into place at the JFK’s North Side known as Terminal 6. “This marks a major milestone in the transformation of JFK International that will set a new standard for travel in New York,” Governor Hochul said. “This state-of-the-art…
Unions, transit advocates kickoff new coalition for New York City-to Boston high-speed rail
Prominent unions and transit advocates put out a call to get behind an ambitious high-speed rail line proposal connecting New York City to Boston at the “High-Speed Rail Construction” conference Sept. 5. The event assembled a panel of politicians, union leaders and planners to share research and strategies for the high-speed rail line — with…
TWU President John Samuelson discusses ‘tremendous opportunity’ of high-speed rail
With the start of what advocates hope is a new era of high-speed rail in the U.S., the Transport Workers Union has a lot of organizing momentum to gain from the creation of new rail tracks. Buoyed by recent “David-and-Goliath” contract victories, TWU has a reputation as an aggressive, hardball member of the labor coalition…
A faster future for Northeastern transit and a new economic reality; Bob Yaro discusses the potential of a New York-to-Boston high-speed rail line
Bob Yaro is an urban and regional planner who has led a career spanning both the academic world and community and transportation planning for local entities across greater New England. For about the last 15 years, his path has kept coming back to an ambitious plan to build a new train corridor between Boston and…
‘An ongoing and constant struggle’; CLC President Vincent Alvarez on the meaning of Labor Day
As the 130th national anniversary of Labor Day approaches, it’s important to remember that the holiday goes beyond a big parade, barbecues and time off work. Vincent Alvarez, the president of New York City Central Labor Council, is acutely aware of the ways in which Labor Day is more than a holiday. For him, it’s…
Unique Labor Day Celebrations Across the Country
The first Labor Day parade in the U.S. took place in New York City on September 5, 1882. Union leaders and thousands of working people gathered to advocate for labor goals such as an eight-hour workday and higher pay. By 1884, Labor Day had become a municipal holiday in certain towns. States like New York,…
Huge Numbers of MTA Workers Found to Have Been Assaulted in New Report
The stories of assaults on transit workers have filled the news cycle for years now. And yet a proper response by the MTA has been lacking, even as the level and frequency of violence has increased. Now, the NYC School of Global Public Health has produced new research, detailing the statistics of the workers’ response…
5 important questions for Labor health funds to ask before partnering with a health system
Healthcare costs have risen dramatically in recent years, and are expected to increase as much as 8.5% in 2024. To sustain health benefits at the current level, some unions are exploring alternatives to the traditional provider network. Hospitals and health systems partner directly with Labor Increasingly in today’s market, we are seeing hospitals and health…