In anticipation of federal budget cuts, nearly 20 prominent unions and other labor groups are asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to proactively set aside hundreds of millions of extra dollars for the state Department of Labor. But the governor, along with legislative leaders, have so far expressed reticence about using state money to cover federal cuts.
The groups sent a letter to the governor on Friday, asking that she include an additional $200 million in the state budget due April 1 to support the Department of Labor in the event of federal cuts. The letter, shared exclusively with City & State, describes three different funding streams that benefit the agency: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs, Employment Service grants and workplace safety funding. “Dedicating additional funding to NY’s DOL would ensure that New York’s workforce remains strong and supported up against any threats to union density, worker safety, workforce development, unemployment, and rights on the job,” the letter reads.
Among the 19 signatories are some of the state’s most politically powerful unions, including 32BJ SEIU, CWA District 1, TWU Local 100, the New York State Nurses Association and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Other labor groups that signed include the Alliance for a Greater New York (better known as ALIGN), Worker Justice Project and Northeast New York Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health.
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