NYS LABOR UNIONS URGE LAWMAKERS TO PASS MARRIAGE EQUALITY; ROCHESTER AREA PRESS CONFERENCE SLATED FOR JUNE 9 AT NYSUT

NEW YORKERS RALLY FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Labor union advocates rally in Albany on May 9 in support of legislation
that will improve the lives of LGBT working families in New York State.
photo: Ove Overmyer

 Rochester, N.Y.-- New York state's biggest labor unions are pressing for passage of marriage equality this legislative session which ends on June 20. 

The Public Employees Federation, CSEA, New York United Teachers and four other unions will join with Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Ross Levi this afternoon at the Capitol to call on the Legislature to pass a same-sex marriage bill.

Many unions in the state have already declared support for same-sex marriage legislation, including the AFL-CIO, United Federation of Teachers, Communication Workers of America and the Teamsters.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has warned state lawmakers that they'll be remembered as civil rights obstructionists if they block attempts to legalize gay marriage, which is already allowed in Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

photo:  Ove Overmyer

This comes at a time while Gov. Cuomo is ramping up his own efforts as well. Lawmakers, faith groups, celebrities, the young and old, the union movement and almost every progressive group imaginable are now meeting up together to discuss not only marriage, but how LGBT issues affect all our working families and our workplaces.  And with citizen's approval ratings for marriage equality through the roof (a 22 percent spread, according to a April 2011 Siena Poll), Cuomo’s progressive post-budget policy agenda is clearly instigating a rallying point for civil rights advocates and our NYS unions.

Marriage advocates say this recent kind of coalition building is unprecedented in New York state civil rights history. As part of this effort, Mr. Cuomo and his aides are working on assembling an effective team of union and progressive activists who, despite a shared agenda, have not always coordinated well together.

Stu Appelbaum
photo: Anne Tischer

"Marriage cannot be seen as just an issue for the LGBT community," RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum told reporters on April 25.  "It is a union issue as well, as demonstrated by the support that has been shown by New York's labor movement. And most importantly it is an issue of importance for anybody who cares about justice. Justice is indivisible. You cannot be for justice for some, and not be for justice for all."

Manhattan Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell has already introduced a marriage bill in the NYS Assembly, which has passed three previous times before.  Cuomo has repeatedly stated he would not introduce a bill from the executive chamber unless he knows he has enough votes for the bill to pass.

The Rochester labor community will be holding its own Marriage Equality press conference on June 9.  Details of the event are still in development.  Sources tell the Voice Reporter that this press conference will be a direct appeal to area state senators, warning them that union support in future elections is contingent on their vote to pass a marriage equality bill.