The Local: June 19, 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, city retirees’ legal efforts to stop Medicare privatization suffer a setback in the New York Court of Appeals, the 14-year president of the NYC Central Labor Council steps down, and the Trump administration flip flops on workplace raids by ICE.
Photo by Alexandra Chan at ALU’s Solidarity Membership Fundraiser 06/11.
Organizing (asterisks indicate employer-filed petitions for union election)
Workers at the Blank Street Coffee at 1 Boerum Place in Brooklyn voted 3-1 to join UFCW Local 1500.
Workers at Assist Ambulance voted 47-0 to join 1199SEIU.
Workers at nonprofit art space The Kitchen voted 8-0 to join UAW Local 2110.
Workers at MetroRock Bushwick voted 16-0 to join Workers United.
Workers at Bronxworks are organizing with UAW Local 2325.
A residual unit of perfusionists at Lenox Hill Hospital are organizing with 1199SEIU.
Decertification petitions have been filed at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan (UAW Local 259) and Madison Square Garden (IBEW Local 1212).
Building service workers at The Camber Property Group and Wavecrest Management Team are organizing with IBEW Local 1430.
Brad Lander’s mayoral campaign voluntarily recognized its staff union, repped by the Campaign Workers Guild.
Bargaining & Action
06/09: The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service reached a tentative agreement.
06/06: The Metropolitan Opera and the American Guild of Musical Artists have reached a tentative agreement on a new one-year contract.
06/13: WGAEast members at Vox Media reached a new three-year tentative agreement.
Photo by Alexandra Chan at ALU’s Solidarity Membership Fundraiser 06/11.
Albany
A new safety bill requiring EMS workers to be sent out in pairs has passed the state legislature and awaits Gov. Hochul’s signature. [The Chief Leader]
City Hall
Mayor Eric Adams bans New York Daily News reporter Chris Sommerfeldt from the mayor’s press conferences after Sommerfeldt asked a question about Adams’ candidacy for reelection; the Daily News Union (New York NewsGuild) demanded that Sommerfeldt be reinstated.
The United Federation of Teachers declined to endorse in the mayoral race because, according to newly-reelected president Mulgrew, the membership was “polarized” between Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani. [Gothamist]
New York State’s highest court ruled against one of city retirees’ claims against the NYC’s efforts to move retirees onto Medicare Advantage; the retirees can continue litigating other claims and also advocating in City Council. [City and State]
Photo by Alexandra Chan at LowMan DSA”s debate watch party 06/12.
Miscellaneous
President Vincent Alvarez of the New York City Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO) will step down on July 1 after 14 years in the role.
Two top union leaders - Randi Weingarten of the AFT and Lee Saunders of AFSCME - leave the Democratic National Committee over disagreements with DNC chair Ken Martin. [OnLabor]
After the Trump administration abruptly announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would stop workplace raids, it abruptly flipped back to ordering workplace raids. ICE currently has a daily target of 3,000 immigrant arrests per day. [The Hill]
Job Listings
Organizer - ALAA UAW 2325 (Salary: $86,320 – $103,714)
Organizing Staff - Higher Education Labor United (Salary: $70,000 – $90,000)
Communications Specialist - AFSCME District Council 37 (Salary: $65,000 – $97,000)
Supervising Enforcement Counsel - NYC Dep’t of Consumer and Worker Protection (Salary: $106,404.00 – $113,953.00)
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.
Corrections
A reader let us know that our entry for the Brooklyn Prospect Clinton Hill Middle School from the last edition is actually a decertification filing. Our apologies, and thank you for catching the error!