AmNews hosts 10th annual Labor Awards Breakfast
On Monday, Sept. 30, the Amsterdam News honored two union members for their contributions to the labor movement in New York City at the paper’s annual Labor Awards Breakfast, held at 1199SEIU headquarters in Midtown Manhattan and featuring speeches from labor union members, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.).
Gillibrand spoke about achievements of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). She also referenced the campaign she has been organizing with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Hochul.
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“We have made 1.2 million phone calls so far. We’ve knocked on 350,000 doors—we’re averaging 70,000 doors a week,” the junior senator said about the labor movement that these leaders are pushing in New York. “Labor taught me how to do this, so I am only a student of what you have already accomplished in this state. That’s what it’s going to take to win tough elections.”
Clarke acknowledged Amsterdam News Publisher Elinor Tatum for continuing to bring people together to have a conversation about unionization. She also congratulated the awardees of the morning, Mario Cilento and Vincent Alvarez, and thanked both for their contributions.
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“This honor is a mere recognition, given the years you have put into building here in the city of New York,” Gillibrand said to the awardees. “I inherited you from my mom as you were climbing the ranks, and it’s great to be here with you.” She went on to advocate for the voices of the unheard to be recognized.
“Our stories have been relegated to the background, and many don’t know that the people united will never be defeated,” Gillibrand said to the applause of the crowd.
A refrain among all speakers was the push to elect Vice President Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States: “Am I allowed to start politics here?” While thanking union members for their work, Hochul scratched the itch to speak about the political state of the country and the November 5 election.
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“What I am working on is making sure that Yvette Clarke is now in the majority with her friend Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House,” Hochul said.
She also took time to speak to the many issues her administration has been tackling in the name of the labor movement. She invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s name to connect both the Civil Rights Movement and labor movement.
“When you bring the power of unions with the power of civil rights, that is an unstoppable coalition,” the governor said. “When Dr. King marched on Washington in 1963, who was he surrounded with? Union members.”
Tatum followed the governor’s speech by thanking her for her words, and introduced the men of the morning.
Bill Moore photos
Mario Cilento, president of the New York State AFL-CIO, spoke about the importance of diversity within the organization. “Our members come from every race, religion, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation…no questions asked, everyone is welcome, no one is turned away,” he said. He also commented about their union’s range in who they are able to reach out to: “Our members live and work in every city, town, village, municipality, locality, neighborhood, community, and ZIP code in the state.”
Alvarez is president of the New York Central Labor Council for the AFL-CIO. In his acceptance speech, like many before him, he alluded to the urgency of the moment the country is facing, both in the union fight and political fight. Like Cilento, he addressed the mobilization effort to have New Yorkers registered to vote.
“So many of us, over the years, have been fighting to make sure that we have that strong link between politics, between power in communities,” Alvarez said. “We have over 1 million union families that live in New York City that are registered to vote in New York City…and we will do everything that we can do to mobilize them this year in the national election.”
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