“Labor in NYS in 2025” presented in Albany

ILR Outreach and resident faculty presented ILR expertise on 2025 labor issues to members of the New York State Legislature on Tuesday in Albany.

State Sen. Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Labor Committee, said, “We need to respond to the anti-worker roadmap laid out in Project 2025 with an affirmative vision of our own. I’m proud that the Assembly labor chair and I were able to bring together the experts at Cornell ILR so early in session so we can make a plan to defend working people, our planet, and our future.”

Assembly Member Harry Bronson, chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, said, “It was really great to hear from Cornell ILR experts on what we need to do to protect workers in 2025, especially recognizing the changes we are expecting at the federal level and to talk with the Climate Jobs Institute team to make sure that as we make the transition to a green economy, we do so with a sense of equity, inclusion, and fairness.”

The “Labor in NYS in 2025” program was presented in two parts, “Protecting and Growing our Workforce: Federal and NYS Labor Policy During a Time of Transition” and “Building a Diverse, Equitable and Resilient Clean Energy Economy in New York State.”

Speakers and topics included:

• Russell Weaver, Buffalo Co-Lab research director, data that can be used to communicate state priorities for workers, companies and consumers.
   
• Esta Bigler ’70, Labor and Employment Law Program director, and Cathy Creighton ’87, Buffalo Co-Lab director, how likely changes to federal boards and agencies could impact the state.
   
• Alex Colvin, Ph.D. ’99, Kenneth F. Kahn ’69 Dean and Martin Scheinman ’75, MS ’76, Professor of Conflict Resolution, how individual employee rights could be affected.
   
• Shannon Gleeson, Edmund Ezra Day Professor, how federal changes could impact immigrant workers’ rights.
   
• Lara Skinner, executive director of the Climate Jobs Institute, progress toward state climate, equity and job goals.
   
• Zach Cunningham, assistant director of labor education for the Climate Jobs Institute, the state of clean energy investment, workforce development and job growth.
   
• Melissa Shetler, assistant director of labor outreach and workforce equity for the Climate Jobs Institute, the state of clean energy investment, workforce development, quality job growth and access to economic opportunities.
   
• Avalon Hoek-Spaans, assistant director of research for the Climate Jobs Institute, what data and research would be useful to lawmakers seeking to build a robust clean energy economy.

Colvin said, “As the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the Cornell ILR School was proud to partner with labor chairs Senator Ramos and Assembly Member Bronson to share data, research and policy insights that will impact work, labor and employment in 2025.”

“New York state has the opportunity to be a leader in topics like employment opportunities for justice-involved individuals, legislation around non-compete agreements, and strategically transitioning to a strong, equitable and resilient clean energy economy,” he said.

Ariel Avgar, Ph.D. ’08, the David M. Cohen Professor, Labor Relations, Law and History, said, “We appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from policymakers about their priorities for the coming year and what they are hearing from their constituents.”

“Our Outreach units and resident faculty, year-round, have informative, accessible and relevant resources and data for policymakers and the public,” said Avgar, senior associate dean for ILR Outreach and Sponsored Research and director of the Center for Applied Research on Work.