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Bill Package Includes Measure To Ensure Protections for New York Workers in Midst of Federal Uncertainty

The package of bills will help create good paying union jobs and strengthen protections for workers across the state.

In the absence of a functional National Labor Relations Board under the Trump Administration, the package of bills also includes legislation that seeks to preserve worker rights here in New York. The Governor highlighted the bill signings ahead of New York City’s famous Labor Day Parade.

“Our union laborers are the lifeblood of New York, working tirelessly to continue to build and uplift this great state,” Governor Hochul said. 

“While the Trump Administration has failed to prioritize a strong National Labor Relations Board and is dismantling unions left and right, here in New York we are taking strong action to protect worker rights and sending a clear message that we will always have the backs of New York’s workers.”

The package of bills includes:

• Legislation S.8034A/A8590A which authorizes the New York State Public Employment Relations Board to assert jurisdiction over disputes between employers and recognized employee organizations if the National Labor Relations Board is unable to successfully assert jurisdiction.

• Legislation S.5254/A.6612 which protects public unions from a wage reduction due to their involvement in the investigation of a violation of a workplace violence protection program.

• Legislation S.12/A.779 which amends the Civil Service Law to strengthen protections for public unions during times of suspensions and workforce layoffs.

• Legislation S.2457B/A3999B which establishes the Mechanical Insulation Energy Savings Program to provide grants for qualified mechanical insulation expenditures to school districts.

• Legislation A.2730A requires contractors and subcontractors performing construction work for covered renewable energy systems to have apprenticeship agreements. This legislation also requires thermal energy networks to require contractors and subcontractors to have pre-apprenticeship direct entry providers registered with the New York State Department of Labor.

Public Employee Relations Board Chair Timothy Connick said, “As the current administration continues to sideline longstanding labor institutions like the National Labor Relations Board, it is more important than ever that New York State step up to defend the rights of workers and create fair venues to resolve labor disputes. PERB stands ready to fill the void left by Trump’s NLRB and protect the rights of workers and organized labor across the state.”