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

It’s budget season in New York, and the Senate and Assembly have released their one-house proposals. There’s much to celebrate—both houses called for an increase to the minimum wage with cost-of-living adjustments thereafter, and for the state to lead the way with building decarbonization. 

But there’s still a long way to go to win everything we’ve been working for. We need our leaders to commit to no less than a $21.25 minimum wage to restore its lost value. And while the Senate demonstrated great leadership by backing bold climate solutions and labor standards that put workers first, the Assembly failed to deliver a climate agenda to match. 

With the final budget due April 1, we’ll be fighting to the end to raise the wage, create green union jobs, and win a cleaner, more equitable New York.

Take Action

We’re hiring! ALIGN has open positions for an Operations Manager and Climate & Labor Organizer. Apply now.

One-click tool to tell NYS Legislators: Invest in Climate Justice with the Climate and Community Protection Fund.

Join NY Renews and the Climate Museum for a Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package Teach-in and Reception on Wednesday, March 22nd.

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

$21.25, no compromises!

The Raise Up NY coalition rallying in Albany.

Raise Up NY has had a busy month building support for a $21.25 minimum wage! We have:

• Reached 30 Senate and 50 Assembly sponsors for the Raise the Wage Act—a major milestone along the path to victory.

• Built up the Raise Up NY coalition to 150 organizations statewide, from unions to community groups, to businesses small and large.

• Rallied in NYC, Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley to uplift underpaid workers across the state and demonstrate our broad support from union, business, and community leaders for raising the wage.

• Testified in support of the Raise the Wage Act at the State budget hearing.

• Won support in the Senate and Assembly one-house budgets for raising the wage before adjusting for inflation, a rejection of Governor Hochul’s insufficient proposal to lock in poverty wages.

And now, in the final stretch of the budget session, our state leaders need to hear from YOU, their constituents, to make sure we win a livable wage with no compromises. Join today’s phone zap—call Governor Hochul’s office at 518-474-8390 and share your support for raising the minimum wage to $21.25, no less!

Raise Up NY rallying in NYC and Long Island.

Raise your hand if you're a union member! 

This spring, we’re fighting for the Climate, Jobs and Justice package (CJJP), a comprehensive plan to decarbonize New York, make our state healthier and more equitable, and win a green economy for all. But there is no climate justice without worker justice, and we need a just transition to ensure we create green, union jobs and leave no worker behind on the path to our clean future. 

On March 2, ALIGN hosted a town hall for union and community members to discuss how climate change impacts workers at home and on the job, and strategize to win good green jobs and clean air. State Senator Jessica Ramos and union leaders from DC37, UWUA, NYSNA, Jobs that Move America, and UAW 9A joined nearly 150 attendees to share stories about the real-life impacts of climate change and answer questions about how the CJJP can win transformational change for New York. We’re building power and making headway in the budget with our climate priorities, but it’s not too late to make an impact! Tell NY legislators that you support the Climate, Jobs and Justice package with our one-click tool.

Bloomberg Law: NY Lawmakers up the Ante on Hochul Minimum Wage, Call for Raises

Capitol Pressroom: New York progressives push aggressive minimum wage bump

The City: Could New York See a $21.25 Minimum Wage?

Democrat & Chronicle: Opinion: It's well past time that New York permanently fixed its minimum wage standards

NY Amsterdam News: NYC Comptroller reports plateaued Black unemployment rates, decreased value in $15 minimum wage due to inflation

Spectrum News 1: Senator Harckham proposes fund to ensure oversight of state's climate revenue

WXXI: Advocates say minimum wage needs to be higher before it’s indexed to inflation

Interim Executive Director Lucas Shapiro was named one of City & State Labor Power 100

ALIGN and labor leaders call on the NYS legislature to make green energy union friendly

Updates from ALIGN's Board of Directors

NYC-EJA and the Last Mile Coalition are working to regulate mega-warehouses that create air and noise pollution in environmental justice communities throughout NYC.

New York Communities for Change joined over 500 union members, freelancers, people in re-entry, immigrant and non-traditional workers to shut down the Manhattan Bridge with the FEW Coalition, fighting for the Unemployment Bridge Program in the state budget.

Community Voices Heard rallied and phonebanked with the Housing Justice for All coalition to build support for #GoodCauseEviction, which would protect NY tenants against unjust evictions and unreasonable rent increases.

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