Newsletter for the Movement for Economic, Climate, and Racial Justice

As the NYS legislative session came to an end, orange skies and toxic smoke enveloped New York state. Climate crisis-fueled wildfires left New Yorkers sheltered in their homes, shutting windows, and strapping on their masks. It was an urgent and sobering reminder of the work that needs to be done, even with the concrete gains we made this legislative session. 

Indeed, ALIGN’s powerful coalition building brought major strides in climate and economic investments in the NYS budget. As part of NY Renews, we helped win the Build Public Renewables Act, a clear example of how labor and climate came together in a four-year fight to win publicly owned renewable energy, an unprecedented win in this country. Our Raise Up NY coalition won a higher minimum wage that automatically rises with higher costs of living. The New Yorkers for a Fair Economy gained momentum this session with the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act, which ensures warehouses are designed to protect workers first. And with the Warehouse Worker Protection Act going into effect next week, New York is holding e-commerce corporations like Amazon accountable. 

We’re fighting for our right to breathe, to feel safe in our workplaces, and to be fairly compensated for our labor. In this uncertain climate future, our silver lining is the power of our people, and the hope that comes when we struggle together. 

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We're hiring!

ALIGN is looking for talented and dedicated candidates for:

Executive Director to take the organization to the next level of economic and environmental justice advocacy.

Climate Director to oversee climate justice work, renewable energy initiatives, and policy campaigns.

We also have an open position for a Climate & Labor Organizer. 

Join NY Renews for a post-budget call on Wednesday, June 14th at 6 PM to hear about what we’ve won and our plans for climate action this summer.

Together, we can win a stronger, more resilient New York in 2023. Please consider donating to ALIGN so we can continue building coalitions fighting for economic, climate, and racial justice.

New Yorkers for a Fair Economy and the TEMP bill coalition rallied together 

in Albany for the temperature standard and warehouse protection bills.

Labor unions and community groups celebrated a big win this week when the NYS Senate passed the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act (WWIRA). The rapidly expanding e-commerce industry’s pursuit of profit and productivity has made warehouse work one of the most dangerous jobs in the state. Amazon is the worst offender—at their warehouses, one in every twelve full time employees suffer a serious injury, forcing them to take time off from work or transfer jobs.

Thanks to advocates like you, we sent over 20,000 emails to the NYS legislature, urging them to pass our worker safety bill. Now, we look to the Assembly to pass WWIRA to win more protections such as onsite medical care, implementation of injury reduction programs, safe workplace design, training and more.

Last year, we won greater transparency with exploitative productivity quotas with the Warehouse Worker Protection Act (WWPA), which will officially take effect next week. WWIRA is the next logical step in building our toolbox for worker safety and corporate accountability. It will also make New York a leader, alongside states like California and Minnesota, in the nationwide fight to ensure that warehouse work can be a safe and fair job for all.

Hundreds of New Yorkers marched from Bryant Park to Governor Hochul’s NYC office

 to call on NYS to pass the Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package.

Last week, the entire state of New York experienced what it is like to live in a community at the forefront of the climate crisis. Black and brown communities have been choking on air pollution for decades. This past legislative session, the NY Renews coalition echoed the calls of those communities by calling for the Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package, a comprehensive set of bills that would lower utility costs, create clean air and good jobs, and build renewable energy infrastructure. 

We didn’t win it all, but we made critical progress. Here’s what that looked like: 

• We won a majority of the Climate and Community Protection Fund which will direct climate funds to families, communities, and small businesses to lower energy bills, increase energy efficiency in buildings, and provide job training and support for impacted workers in the fossil fuel industry. A new report shows that this fund would create nearly 90,000 green jobs for New Yorkers.
• The Senate passed the NY HEAT Act, a bill that will lower utility costs and jumpstart our affordable and ambitious long-term clean energy transition. 
• The Climate Superfund Act passed the Senate, and would make fossil fuel corporations pay for the harm caused. 
• The Just Energy Transition Act passed the Senate, and provides a plan to guide the replacement and redevelopment of New York State’s fossil fuel facilities and sites by 2030.

We have a busy summer ahead of us, which includes protecting the vision of the CLCPA from attack, ensuring the Climate Law continues to be fully funded, and implementing state agencies equitably and effectively. The clock is ticking on climate but our movement is growing. Join us for a mass call this Wednesday so we can win a better climate future together.

Matrice M. Sherman is the Operations Manager at ALIGN, where she supports the New York community-labor movement for social and economic justice by providing administrative and financial management.

Through her work as a staff accountant in the nonprofit world, Matrice has honed her skills as a subject matter expert and demonstrated a roll-up-the-sleeves attitude in the workplace. She is also a lifelong Brooklyn resident with a love of cherry blossoms, concerts, and volunteering her time working with children.

NY Daily News - High cost of New York’s warehouse injury crisis: The state needs to pass the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act

Capitol Pressroom - New warehouse worker protections consider in Albany

WENY News - Some lawmakers push for workers safety bills

City and State NY - Our Perspective: We Need Safe Workplaces in Booming Warehouse Industry!

Spectrum News - Proposal to end 'Opportunity Zones' advances in state Senate

Politico Pro - New bill pushes for warehouse safety and injury prevention

Alliance in Action

Updates from ALIGN's Board of Directors

Retail Wholesale Department Store Union - Big win! Booksellers, baristas, and cashiers of Barnes and Noble Union Square have voted overwhelmingly to join RWDSU. 

NYC Central Labor Council - Corporations have denied the dignity of a living wage and basic protections for delivery app workers for far too long. Add your name to say it's time to #DeliverJustice.

Teamsters Joint Council 16 - The UPS strike vote starts this week!  Voting YES will enable the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to call a nationwide strike at UPS should the company fail to reach agreement on a strong new contract for more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters.

Make the Road NY - “Displaced and Disconnected” is a new report that presents the findings of a comprehensive survey conducted to understand the experiences asylum seekers have had and the resource gaps they face in New York.

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