AG Letitia James Addresses Labor Union Election Protection Coalition ‘Captains’ Six Days Before Election Day

On Wednesday, more than 120 rank and file member-leaders of affiliated unions of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, including 32BJ SEIU, 1199SEIU, LIUNA Eastern Region, NYSNA, CWA District 1, PSC/CUNY, UAW Region 9A, AFM 802, HTC, IBEW Local 3, AFSCME DC37, OPEIU Local 153, and AGMA gathered for an “Emergency Worker Summit” at 1199 Headquarters to receive training on protecting election integrity ahead of the Midterms.

With reports of election interference pouring in from across the country, including federal subpoenas for voter roles in New Jersey and voter intimidation by federal agents in New York, the recently established cross-union “Election Protection Coalition” is taking proactive measures to protect workers’ constitutional right to vote and have their voices heard.

On October 15, approximately a thousand New York union members from nearly twenty unions representing over a million members gathered on the steps of Farley Post Office to announce their intentions to protect free and fair elections, in part by training members to counter potential avenues of interference. This week, as part of the emergency worker summit, members learned about how to respond to potential election sabotage, shared their plans for getting the union vote out in full force along with their plans to ensure all voters are able to vote on election day, and heard from Attorney General Letitia James about efforts to protect elections in New York state.

“Generations of union members marched, organized, and sacrificed to secure our most fundamental rights,” said Attorney General James. “Now, with Election Day less than a week away, we all share the responsibility to protect those rights as fiercely as those who came before us. For months, my office has been preparing alongside election officials, law enforcement, and partners across New York to ensure a safe, secure election. We are hard at work because working people deserve a government that hears them and answers to them. My office will use its full authority to make sure your voices are heard, your rights are protected, and your votes are counted.” Read more about the summit here!