Hi
Friend,

As the chair of the New York State Senate Labor Committee, I am dedicated to fighting for working families through legislation such as a permanent solution for excluded workers, passing the Early Learning Child Care Act to allow working parents to have access to affordable childcare, and linking the minimum wage to the rate of inflation.

We’ve seen a slow but steady wave of union organizing among baristas, retail, non-profit, museum, and news workers throughout the country. When the first Starbucks successfully voted to unionize in Buffalo, late last year, many workers began to talk about organizing in their workplaces as well. Seeing the success of these workers has inspired many others to take on the seemingly daunting task of organizing their workplaces. 

As these workers begin to organize, it is imperative that our government work to support those looking to unionize and create opportunities for fairer wages, safer working conditions, and stronger benefits for working people. The pandemic sparked conversations among workers, many deemed “essential,” about the safety of their workplaces and their increased risk of COVID-19 exposure. Their sacrifices will not be in vain; we will keep fighting for more, for better, for worker justice always.

In Solidarity,

Jessica