FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 10, 2022
Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259
RETAIL, WHOLESALE AND DEPARTMENT STORE UNION ENDORSES KATHY HOCHUL FOR GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
(NEW YORK, NY) – Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced its endorsement of New York Governor, Kathy Hochul. The RWDSU represents approximately 45,000 workers in New York State in a wide range of industries including retail, grocery, pharmacy, food service, food processing, cannabis, warehousing, nursing homes, non-profits and agriculture – representing New York’s first ever unionized farmworkers.
“Governor Kathy Hochul recognizes that workplace safety must be prioritized amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and she is deeply committed to advocating for our members – many of whom are essential workers on the front lines in the COVID-19 crisis. Upon taking office in late August, Governor Hochul acted swiftly to implement profound safety protections for our members under the NY Hero Act. She has a proven track record as a strong and smart leader with a steady hand. She has taken on the unemployment crisis many of our members face and created funds to help our members in the tourism industry, which include our members who work in airline catering. She has looked to support workers seeking to unionize in both new and emerging industries like adult-use cannabis and historically excluded farmworkers. Governor Hochul has already shown us that workers will have a seat at the table in her administration – and Kathy has our full support as she seeks to continue her work as Governor of New York,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
“I am humbled and honored to receive this endorsement from the hardworking members of the RWDSU who have kept us safe, fed and healthy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “The RWDSU has been a strong advocate for the needs and rights of its members. RWDSU members provide critical services to us as we continue to weather the pandemic, from retail, grocery and pharmacy workers, to health aids and social workers at non-profits and in nursing homes, to food processing workers that produce the food on our dinner tables – they are there. New York is at its best when organized labor has a seat at the table and when we ensure our workers are treated fairly and with dignity and respect. I look forward to RWDSU's continued partnership in delivering the strongest pro-worker agenda in the nation.”
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The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.