The Local: July 3, 2025 news roundup
Welcome back to The Local, a publication of NYC-DSA Labor Working Group reporting every two weeks. Send any tips, corrections, and other feedback to thenyclocal@substack.com. In this issue, organized labor in New York City begins to consolidate around mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, public defenders across the city vote to authorize a strike, and Mayor Adams puts his plans to privatize Medicare for retired city workers on ice.
Photo by Alexandra Chan at LowMan DSA’s Election Night watch party at Brickyard 06/24.
Organizing (asterisks indicate employer-filed petitions for union election)
Building service workers at a number of employers – 2340 Beaumont Owner LLC, Victory Plaza Owner LLC, West 144 Owner LLC, Brook Ave Owner LLC, and Tremont LIHTC Owner LLC – are organizing with IBEW Local 1430.
Privately contracted security guards working for Asset Protection and Security Services at the federal building at 201 Varick Street – which houses an immigration court, among other things – are organizing with the Federal Contract Guards of America (FCGOA).
Accounting department employees at Apple Studios in Astoria are organizing with IATSE Local 161.
Workers at Metro One Loss Prevention Services (Guard Division NY Inc.) in Staten Island voted 20-6 to join Security Officers Union, Local 1.
A decertification election at DistroKid ended in a 13-13 tie vote. Having lost majority support, NABET-CWA will no longer represent this unit if the result is certified.
Retail sales consultants at four Optimum locations in Brooklyn have voted 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, and 2-0 to join the CWA.
Workers at climbing gym Movement Management in Manhattan voted 11-5 to join Workers United.
Workers at charter school Brooklyn Prospect Clinton Hill Middle School voted 18-9 to decertify their union, currently repped by UFT Local 2.
Bargaining & Action
06/20: Tabletop Workers United ratified a first contract by 99%.
06/27: WGA East members at Vox Media unanimously ratified a new contract.
06/30: Multiple units at ALAA-UAW 2325 have voted to authorize a strike as their contracts expired July 1st. Support their community fund here.
Photo by Alexandra Chan at the NYC-DSA office 06/24
Albany
New York State Comptroller Thomas Napoli – who manages the state pension fund – has been pressuring private equity firms who manage pension fund money to stop union-busting at portfolio companies. [New York Focus]
City Hall
The Adams administration abruptly decided to pull its plan (and maybe go back to the drawing board) to privatize Medicare plans for city retirees. The city had just won a major decision at the state’s highest court the day before. In his press release, Mayor Adams cited a desire to “ensur[e] that New York City remains an affordable place to live.”
After either endorsing Cuomo or sitting out the mayoral primary, several major labor organizations endorse Zohran Mamdani after the latter’s victory in last week’s primary election, including 32BJ, Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, NYSNA, and the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. [The New York Times]
DC 37, PSC-CUNY, and DoorDash combined outside spending to run ads in favor of Adrienne Adams in the mayoral primary. [The City]
Photo by Alexandra Chan at LowMan DSA’s Election Night watch party at Brickyard 06/24
Miscellaneous
A deep dive into the prison guard strike that rocked New York State earlier this year. [n+1]
The Senate passes Trump’s budget bill by a hair and sends it back to the House for another round of voting. The budget would extend tax cuts and cut approximately $1 trillion from Medicaid, which is expected to cause millions of people to lose health care coverage. [PBS]
Job Listings
New Organizer - CIR/SEIU (Salary: $67,521 - $109,549)
Political Action Representative - NYSUT (Salary: $90,500)
Local Representative - NewsGuild-CWA (Salary: $107,000 – $136,000)
A complete list of local union jobs can be found at unionjobs.com, alongside here is the complete list of New York City’s civil service exams. Additionally if you’re interested in taking a job in a strategic industry and want to be connected through the Labor Working Group, check out this form here.