Image

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

New York has a worker safety crisis. Workers across the state are getting sick or hurt on the job, from Amazon workers laboring in poorly-designed warehouses to nail salon workers inhaling toxic chemicals to retail workers under constant threat of violence and harassment. 

 

But no worker should have to risk their life or livelihood for their job. Working families are already struggling to afford rent and groceries as New York’s cost of living continues to rise. Pile on injury and illness — how are New Yorkers supposed to get by?

 

Recently, Governor Hochul has been laser-focused on retail theft. In April, she implemented more severe criminal penalties for offenders and did a victory lap for her efforts. But punitive action doesn’t actually keep workers safe or prevent harm. 


We need to keep workers safe before they experience health or safety issues on the job, not after. New York needs preventative solutions, and we have them. ALIGN’s coalitions are fighting for safe, healthy workplaces, and we won’t rest until our state is sustainable for all New Yorkers.

TAKE ACTION

Tell the NYC Council and 

Mayor Adams: Invest in Climate!
 
 
 

Protect Warehouse Workers 
From New York to DC

Senator Markey introduces the federal Warehouse Worker Protection Act. Credit: Boston 25 News

The movement to #ProtectWarehouseWorkers is going national with Senator Ed Markey’s Warehouse Worker Protection Act, which makes quotas transparent, limits surveillance, and safeguards the right to organize. Sound familiar? This bill is modeled off of state bills from California, Minnesota, and in New York – our very own Warehouse Worker Protection Act, passed in 2022. 

 

But we’re still fighting for more protections in New York. Last week, ALIGN joined forces with three other worker safety coalitions for a week of action in Albany, calling on NY State leaders to protect workers from harm, hold employers accountable, and create the conditions for safe, healthy, and sustainable workplaces, no matter what industry. We wore Worker Safety Week safety vests and held a press conference to draw attention to the dangers of warehouse, nail salon, and retail work, as well as the growing threat of extreme temperature for workers across sectors. 

 

Afterwards, workers and advocates invited elected officials in the Capitol to open Amazon boxes to reveal the daily challenges that New York warehouse workers face on the job. “Just look at the numbers,” urged Theodore Moore, ALIGN’s Executive Director. “New York has 54% more warehouse injuries than the rest of the country. We should be leading the way with solutions, not harm.” Our Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act continues to build momentum, passing the Assembly Labor Committee this week. We’re determined to get it done this year and deliver safe work to the warehouse workers who keep our economy running.

From top, clockwise: An Amazon warehouse worker shares his experience getting injured on the job; Senator Brisport and Assemblymember Taylor participate in the Unboxing Warehouse Safety challenge.
 

Climate Justice in the Classroom

NYC is holding budget hearings this month, and it’s an essential time for Council Members to hear from their constituents — how do YOU want the City to invest its precious resources? 

 

With our Climate Works for All coalition, we’re calling for Green, Healthy Schools and clean buildings so that all New Yorkers have access to clean air, healthy learning environments, and safe workplaces. NYC public schools’ infrastructure is crumbling and runs on dirty fossil fuels. Many haven’t been updated in decades, which is affecting students’ health and learning environment.

 

But our city’s students, teachers, and school staff deserve to breathe clean air regardless of zip code. 

 

We’re proud to have 13 Council Members signed on to our priorities as city climate champions. But we need to send the rest of the City Council and our Mayor a message — we want:

 

📚 green schools

🏢 clean buildings

👷🏽 good, union jobs


Send an email and call your City Council member with our easy 1-click tool and script, and let them know you do too!

 

Welcome Julia Corrado,

 Our New Researcher & Policy Analyst!

Join us in giving a warm welcome to Julia Corrado (she/her), ALIGN’s new Researcher & Policy Analyst! Julia will manage policy research and analysis for our climate and worker justice campaigns.

 

Julia previously worked as a Director on the Legislation team at Kasirer where her clients included the New York Climate Exchange, clean energy, and various labor unions. Her work has touched keystone environmental policies in New York City and State such as Commercial Waste Zones, Local Law 97, the Environmental Bond Act, mandatory flood disclosure, and more. Julia also worked as a Policy Analyst at the NYS Office of Resilient Homes and Communities and has conducted research for several nonprofits including Waterfront Alliance, Billion Oyster Project, and the Northeast Florida Regional Council. Julia holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and an M.A. in Environmental Policy from Pace University, where she received a Jefferson Award for Public Service. She is a native Staten Islander, an advocate, and a writer.

 

Welcome, Julia!

 

ALIGN in the News