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

ALIGN is hitting the ground running as we move into 2022. With new leaders in the city and state government, we are organizing to ensure that they uplift a bold, progressive agenda that serves the needs of the people. This includes tackling our climate emergency, empowering workers to fight for their health and safety, and protecting the dignity of Black and brown communities who face the brunt of worker and climate injustice. 2021 was a big year of victories, and we are holding our newly elected leaders accountable to ensure that the momentum we built continues to move us toward systematic change. Our agenda for 2022 matches the scale of the multiple crises we face, and we are organizing the coalitions needed to get the job done. In this newsletter, we will be outlining our vision for this year, and how you can help us make 2022 a success, moving us toward a more just and equitable New York.

Together, we can win a stronger, more resilient New York in 2022. Please consider donating to ALIGN so we can continue building coalitions fighting for economic, climate, and racial justice.

Protecting Workers as Omicron Surges

Our NY Essential Workers coalition won big in 2021 by passing the first-in-the-nation NY HERO Act, which gives workers clear, enforceable standards to protect them from airborne infectious diseases, as well as the right to form worker-led health and safety committees. Now that the law is in full effect, we have seen media workers use the law to apply pressure on their employers to ensure that they have access to protections, and Starbucks baristas practice their right to refuse work when workplaces have been deemed dangerous. Scientists and health experts are now pointing to the NY HERO Act as model legislation for the country in reducing Covid spread.

In 2022, we are demanding Governor Hochul to take a more comprehensive approach in health and safety by funding the implementation of the HERO Act and expanding education and enforcement across the state. In an op-ed in the Gotham Gazette, Executive Director Maritza Silva-Farrell pushed Albany to strengthen the law, especially during the Omicron surge: “We know that these standards work and are crucial to minimizing the spread of the virus. But without sufficient resources to implement and enforce them, we are once again leaving workers vulnerable at a pivotal time.” We are seeing Covid changing quickly and in unexpected and dangerous ways, but we know we can rely on worker power as a constant force that will protect our communities.

Bringing Corporate Accountability

into the 21st Century

2021 was a historic year for curbing the power of corporations who have amassed unprecedented influence over our communities, especially during the pandemic. Last year, we launched the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition, made up of workers, small businesses, and community organizations who are organizing to bring power back to our communities. This year we will continue to rein in the power of corporations by fighting for the 21st Century Antitrust Act, the most progressive corporate accountability law in the country, which gives our communities the tools to fight back against corporate abuse. This abuse comes in many forms, including low wages and deteriorating workplace conditions, small businesses unable to compete, and communities being surveilled in every aspect of their lives. We will not let these corporations take freedom and democracy away from the people. This week, the NYS Senate Consumer Protection Committee passed the bill which is a huge step toward shifting the power back to our communities. We look forward to working with the state legislature and Governor Hochul in passing and enacting this important legislation.

The scale of corporate abuse goes beyond New York, which is why we are connecting our local fights to the national and international level through the Athena coalition. This year we'll continue to push for federal level bills in the House and Senate challenging Amazon’s domination, and support historic worker and small business movements across the nation. This spring, we look forward to supporting Board members Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) in their union election in Bessemer, Alabama, where they successfully pushed back on Amazon’s union-busting tactics and moved the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold another election to ensure that workers get a fair chance in forming a union. You can join our movement to hold corporations accountable in this link.

A New Vision for NYC Schools

There’s a ventilation problem in NYC schools. Covid transmission rates in schools during this Omicron surge point to the need for our school infrastructure to be reimagined in the era of Covid-19. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is also exacerbating poor air quality that not only impacts student and staff health, but can also undermine learning by negatively affecting student attendance, comfort, and performance. Scientists and health experts agree that ventilation is absolutely key in reducing Covid-19 spread and improving general public health. That is why our Climate Works for All coalition is prioritizing upgrades to schools’ HVAC air control systems in our Green Healthy Schools plan in order to make our schools’ air more safe for students, school staff, and their communities. Green Healthy Schools also means the installation of solar panels in public schools to make progress toward reducing pollution and energy usage in buildings. We must move urgently toward the City’s goal of achieving 100 megawatts (MW) of solar energy in public buildings by 2025.

This year, the coalition is also working hard to make sure that Local Law 97, a nation-leading climate and jobs policy, is properly implemented. This law aims to slash the building emissions in New York City to create cleaner, healthier neighborhoods and tens of thousands of green jobs. Last year, we successfully fought against a real-estate backed provision to undermine this bill, and we will continue to organize to end the era of dirty buildings in NYC. You can learn more and get involved with these campaigns by visiting the Climate Works for All website.

For seven years, the Transform Don’t Trash (TDT) coalition fought for a major shift to the wild-west private waste system that exploited workers, killed pedestrians, and left frontline Black and brown communities with truck pollution. In 2019, our efforts paid off with the passage of the Commercial Waste Zones (CWZ) law, a transformative system that puts the health of our communities first and makes good, green jobs a priority. 

TDT is now working to ensure the effective and immediate implementation of CWZ, which will promote financial stability as well as high recycling and waste reduction standards, take an estimated 18 million diesel truck miles off NYC streets, and provide good living-wage jobs in the commercial waste sector. Last year the coalition successfully won $4 million in funding to support the Department of Sanitation with staff to implement the Commercial Waste Zone law. 

Now, we are in the final stages of the Request for Proposal process, which would grant carters a 20 year contract to different zones across the city. We are focused on ensuring that the best, high-road union carters receive these bids. Commercial Waste Zones will be the first major climate reform up for implementation this spring and will present major implications for environmental justice communities, workers, and our climate.

It’s Time to Fund our Future

For too long, our neighbors on the frontlines of the climate crisis have lacked the investments they’ve needed and are hit first and worst by incoming disasters. In 2021, we joined the statewide NY Renews to lead a powerful campaign for the Climate Community Investment Act (CCIA). Now, in 2022 we’re still fighting for climate, jobs, and justice by making sure NY State invests $15 billion in a just transition and disadvantaged communities across the state. This money will ensure that New York builds green infrastructure and creates good, green jobs needed to move us to a sustainable economy.

We applaud Kathy Hochul’s vision for green infrastructure projects outlined in her state of the state, but a critical piece is missing: How to pay for it. New York became a climate leader with the passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act in 2019, but without significant funding, our state’s landmark climate law could become an empty promise. It will take a movement to make sure that leadership goes beyond platitudes and promises. Our vision of a sustainable and thriving New York can be a reality if we fight for it. You can start now by calling NYS legislative leadership or Governor Hochul with our easy-to-use tool.

Together, we can win a stronger, more resilient New York in 2022. Please consider donating to ALIGN so we can continue building coalitions fighting for economic, climate, and racial justice.

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