Political Action Updates, April 2023 - Rallying for a Pro-Worker NYS Budget!

Fighting for a Pro-Worker Budget in New York - Final Push to Make Sure Our Legislators Hold the Line on Important Worker Issues!

The negotiations for the 2024 New York State budget have been extended through at least April 17th. While our legislators are making their final arguments as we speak for what goes in it, CWAers are stepping up to make sure that our pro-worker priorities are included.

We’re fighting for a budget that includes funding to:

• Keep hospitals open and get our healthcare workers the support they desperately need.
• End pay-to-work for our SUNY graduate workers (members of CWA Local 1104).
• Raise the minimum wage to lift up all New Yorkers and index it to inflation so that workers aren't left behind when inflation goes up.
• Support the the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies so they can continue to grow enrollment and educate the next generation of workers

If we don’t take action and ensure that these priorities are included in the final budget, we'll see more workers — including our own members — left behind, and our battered healthcare system pushed even further to the brink of disaster.

Are you a CWA member or retiree in New York? You can help!

>>Click here to call your New York State Assemblymember urging them to ensure that these vital priorities are included in the final budget!

Buffalo: Rallying for Healthcare Funding

As part of our fight for a pro-worker budget, CWA members in Western NY rallied on April 5th alongside our union siblings at 1199SEIU for hospital funding that will allow healthcare workers to adequately care for patients.

“It’s our members who provide the bedside care,” said CWA District 1 Area Director Deb Hayes at the rally. “And when hospital systems are in duress, it’s our members who are affected and our patients who suffer every day.”

​Albany: Rallying to Eliminate Grad Worker Fees

Meanwhile, Graduate Student Employees Union members at SUNY Albany also rallied on April 2nd to put an end to the unbearable fees that SUNY graduate workers are forced to pay in order to do their jobs. 

"A lot of our graduate workers, they have to constantly visit the food pantry, they have to skip meals, they have to donate blood plasma, and we just don't want to see that happen anymore," said Shirley Jin, a GSEU-CWA 1104 member at SUNY Albany who spoke out about this issue on Spectrum News last week. "And this year, we really would love to see the final budget will incorporate our request."

Watch the clip here.

​New York City: Rallying to Raise the NYS Minimum Wage

"Corporate profits are skyrocketing, but workers haven't had a raise in years. We need bold action now," said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor in front of a crowd of hundreds of union workers and elected officials on April 10th. "We need this year's [New York State] budget to include min wage increase & indexing to inflation to ensure New Yorkers never fall behind again!"

​Members of CWA Local 1109 and GSEU-CWA 1104 rallied at New York City Hall on the day that an extension to the current NYS budget was announced to tell lawmakers that as they make their final budget debates, they must prioritize working people. Despite record profits over the past year by many corporations, the state's minimum wage has remained stagnant. This proposal would raise the wage over the next several years and index it to inflation, lifting up millions of New Yorkers. CWAers and other union members were joined by legislators including New York State Attorney General Tish James as well as several members of the City Council. 

“This is an inflection point in New York State and all across this nation,” said the Attorney General. “It is time we pay you what you deserve. It is time we move the bill, it is time we address the felt needs of New Yorkers and members of unions.”