The New York State Young Democrats, in conjunction with its Labor Caucus passes a resolution to vote No on the 2019 Constitutional Convention that threatens to gut protections for workers and labor unions across the state.
“As we see labor rights under attack across the nation, we cannot allow New York to open Pandora’s Box with a Constitutional Convention. Everything from pension protections to our workers’ compensation system, and even the right for public unions to collectively bargain, is directly at risk if a Convention is held,” said Rebecca Lamorte, Chair of the New York State Young Democrats Labor Caucus. “On November 7th, it is imperative Young Democrats get to the polls and vote NO on Prop 1, the Constitutional Convention.”
The Constitutional Convention wouldn’t have such potential for disaster for millions of New Yorkers, if it wasn’t for the simple fact that the entire process is controlled by well-funded New York City elites – lawyers, lobbyists, etc. who don’t typically have the best interests at heart. For laborers, there are several amendments that could hurt workers, including:
- Prevailing rate on construction projects, collective bargaining, and care and benefits for injured workers
- Pension and education funding
- The right to organize
These are only 3 of MANY ways the amendments could gut protections for New York laborers. A few of the other areas to consider that will most likely be negatively impacted, include reproductive rights, environmental protections, and social justice. Vote no on Prop 1 for a New York Constitutional Convention. To see the full resolution, visit the NYSYD website.
“We stand with our workers and labor unions, and are shamed by our fellow Democrats who emphasized how important it was to stand with our laborers following the last election, but refuse to stand with them now and vote No on the Constitutional Convention,” said Patrick Jordan, President of the New York State Young Democrats. “It is the most blatant form of hypocrisy, and really shows where their priorities are….or in this case, aren’t.”