DC 1707 Members Take Their Fight for Social Justice to Albany
March 21, 2012
Around Town – By Neal Tepel
Hundreds of AFSCME District Council 1707 members took their fight for social justice to the Capitol in Albany Tuesday March 20, 2012 to tell their elected officials that now was the time to create policies that move this state forward. New York City’s hard working women and men called on legislators to stop workplace violence, promote a prevailing wage bill for subsidized day care and Head Start workers, and reinstate the cost-of-living adjustment in the 2012 budget.
“We came to Albany today, united as a group of workers who are committed to building a better New York for all,” AFSCME DC 1707 Executive Director Raglan George told the members. “The legislature and governor must know that it is no longer ok to force hard working women and men to bear the burden while Wall Street continues to receive breaks. Wall Street is breaking the backs of working men and women all over this state.”
DC 1707 members started their day in Albany with a breakfast and a keynote conversation with Senator Diane Savino. Upon completion, they boarded buses to the Capitol and meet with their legislators.
“The mayor and governor are promoting a 1 percent agenda,” exclaimed Kim Medina, AFSCME DC 1707 President. “We are part of the 99 percent and so are the people we serve. Our elected officials need to make choices we can be proud of.”
District Council 1707 advocated for the passage of an anti-workplace violence bill to protect non-profit social service employees. They called for legislators to reinstate the cost-of-living adjustment in the current budget process. Finally, workers recommended to that the legislature consider a prevailing wage bill to cover New York City’s subsidized day care and Head Start employees.
George closed the day stating that “we will remember how our elected officials vote in November at the ballot box. We will hold them accountable for their actions – if they no longer represent us, we will vote them out. Enough is enough!”
District Council 1707, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees represents 25,000 non-profit and private sector employees in New York State.
