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How
Union Partnerships Are Helping New York City
Unions in
New York City have worked in partnership with businesses, foundations,
government agencies, and community organizations to meet the jobs
crisis. Here are some examples:
- The New
York City Central Labor Council AFL-CIO and The Consortium for
Worker Education set up an emergency employment clearinghouse
for displaced workers, with separate hotlines for displaced
workers and businesses. As of early November, employers had
offered more than 5,500 temporary jobs. The clearinghouse had
received more than 17,000 phone calls from workers and 1,600
walk-in visits.
 The
Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE)
has joined designers and garment manufacturers in launching
an international marketing campaign called "Proudly
Made in New York" to help boost sales and save thousands
of apparel industry jobs. The new coalition—co-chaired
by UNITE President Bruce Raynor, Nicole Miller’s Bud Konheim,
and Tahari’s Elie Tahari—is placing hangtags on clothing
made in New York City garment shops. Many companies including
Brooks Brothers, Bill Blass, Leslie Fay, and Lafayette 148 are
displaying the hangtags in retail shops worldwide.
- The Hotel
Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE) union and the Service
Employees International Union (SEIU) joined forces to launch
a 45-day outreach campaign in ethnic neighborhoods to ensure
displaced low-wage workers have access to public and private
benefits to which they are entitled. Called the Immigrant Workers
Assistance Alliance, the campaign opened a walk-in center in
midtown Manhattan, hired 100 laid-off workers to do door-to-door
canvassing, and placed advertising in ethnic media to promote
the availability of benefits. Supported by a grant from the
Rockefeller Foundation, the campaign received assistance from
the National Employment Law Project, Legal Aid, and other agencies.
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