To the Editor:

As we look forward to Labor Day, those of us in organized Labor are saying that this is our moment. The reason for our statement is because for so many years, all workers have seen living standards erode as workforces have struggled to find jobs and get the wages, benefits and workplaces we always deserved. Now, there is a new wave of union organizing and workers claiming their power.

How did we get to this moment? Though we are tired of talking about the pandemic, we cannot ignore the aftershocks that are still being felt. Those aftershocks include a tight labor market and workers being told once again to do more with less. Workers are now saying to their employers: Enough! Many are demanding changes in their workplaces or just leaving the workforce altogether. One way to change their workplace is trying to form a union.

As a result of this moment, over 1,500 Central New York workers have organized in our area in 2023 alone! That is more newly organized workers than we have seen in decades. These workers come from Starbucks, TCGPlayer and also graduate students at Syracuse University and SUNY ESF. These workers tend to be younger and more diverse than other more traditional unionized workplaces. These young workers will eventually become leaders of the labor movement in Central New York. Just as in the pandemic, the effects of this wave of organizing will be felt for many years to come.

And the resurgence of the labor movement isn’t just limited to organizing wins. There is a wave of strikes across the country, including Central New York. Last year, we had a very high-profile strike at Sysco Foods by the workforce represented by the Teamsters Local 317. Because of this strike, these workers won a $7-an-hour increase for drivers, and a $6-an-hour increase for warehouse workers over the next five years. Sysco also agreed to offer a return to more weeks with five, 8-hour shifts and it dropped a plan to deny new hires the opportunity to have two consecutive days off. It presaged the historic wins on the national level by the Teamsters at UPS this summer, where workers won wage gains that doubled the increases from the union’s previous five-year contract and include a 48% pay raise for part-timers over the life of the contract.

As we celebrate Labor Day, let us recommit ourselves in this moment to the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights. Let us continue to fight for a better future, not just for ourselves, but for generations yet to come. Now is our moment to restore fairness in our workplaces.

We will celebrate Labor Day at the New York State Fairgrounds with a parade and rally at 10:30 a.m. on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023. We invite you to stop down and talk to a union member about how to organize your workplace and join our growing movement.

Mark Spadafore

President

Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Syracuse

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