Working Men and Women Keep Us Safe and Keep New York Running

Today, Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO released the following statement:

ALBANY, NY (10/28/2012)(readMedia)-- As New Yorkers ready for a severe and potentially dangerous storm, we should be mindful of the efforts of the hard working men and women that are preparing for its impact and those that will respond when it arrives. We're hopeful that preparations will prove unnecessary, but we have peace of mind knowing that union workers – public sector, private sector, and building trades – will be there for us: supermarket and retail workers making sure that supplies are available; utility and communication workers laboring day and night to keep the lights and phones on; police officers, firefighters and EMS professionals maintaining our safety; transportation workers preserving our subway, commuter rail and bus infrastructure; state, county and municipal employees keeping the roads clear; construction workers repairing our homes, businesses, and community; hospital workers providing care to our family, friends and neighbors; teachers and child care workers keeping our children safe until we can be with them; and hotel workers making sure there is a place to stay for those who cannot remain home. The list goes on and on. Working men and women make our state run, not just during emergencies, but every day. I ask all New Yorkers to join me in recognizing their contributions and praying for their safety.

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The New York State AFL-CIO is a federation of 3,000 affiliated public sector, private sector, and building trades unions throughout the state representing 2.5 million members, retirees and their families. Our State Federation, which is the largest and most diverse in the country, is committed to helping working families achieve a better life. For more information on the Labor Movement in New York, visit www.nysaflcio.org.