ALIGN

Albany Times Union Capitol Confidential Blog, By Rick Karlin, June 14, 2011. The Capitol is overflowing with groups pushing their agendas today, from same sex marriage supporters to those seeking higher pay for farm workers, to SUNY students who have been rattling tin cups in symbolic protest against what they say is inadequate funding. Then there are the job seekers. Actually, labor-backed groups under the heading of ALIGN, or Alliance for a Greater New York who are wondering what’s happening with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan to create regional development councils to coordinate economic growth, especially upstate.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Opinion Editorial by Candice Rubin, June 5, 2011. Residents of Monroe County are painfully aware of the impact of state budget cuts on our local economy. As leaders look at the local jobs crisis, they must take inventory of how our current efforts fail.

More than 75 leading community and labor organizations from around the state released a letter today calling on Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders to transform the state’s often wasteful and ineffective economic development system into a refocused job-creation program that prioritizes performance standards, accountability and transparency.

Newsday, By James T. Madore, May 10, 2011. Nearly 80 union officials, liberals and community activists demanded Tuesday that state leaders hold businesses more accountable for the jobs they promise to create in return for tax breaks and other incentives.

Long Island Business News, By David Winzelberg, May 10, 2011. New York’s labor unions and community leaders are urging the state’s elected officials to support regional economic development councils in creating jobs. In a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a coalition of unions, civic groups and churches asked t0 transform “the state’s often wasteful and ineffective economic development system into a refocused job-creation program that prioritizes performance standards, accountability and transparency.”

NY Jobs with Justice and Urban Agenda, two New York City-based advocacy organizations announced the launch of their new unified organization on Friday night at their inaugural Movement Builders Awards celebration. After a year-long strategic partnership, the groups are now ALIGN: The Alliance for a Greater New York. Matt Ryan is the organization’s Executive Director.

Capital Tonight, By Liz Benjamin, April 28, 2011. Anti-Walmart flashmob with singing crossdresser, man on stilts, happy face masks.

New York Daily News (Blog), By Celeste Katz, April 28, 2011. Just what every flash mob needs: A stiltwalker, a drag queen and a catchy song. As you can see from the video below, a recent protest against Walmart, which protesters say mistreats gays, minorities and female workers, had all three.

Huffington Post, By Simon McCormack, April 28, 2011. Walmart is never gonna get the love of these musically inclined protesters. The retailer's Chief Executive, Michael Duke, was taking part in a breakfast meeting with members of the Wall Street Journal when dozens of rowdy protesters started singing their rendition of "Mr. Big Stuff."

New York Jobs with Justice and members of the Walmart-Free NYC Coalition released video of a flash mob at a speech by Mike Duke, CEO of Walmart. Nearly a hundred singing and dancing activists converged on Bryant Park on Wednesday to protest Walmart for its record of mistreating women, African Americans and Latinos and the LGBT community.