Union chants, dancing and songs like Public Enemy’s Fight the Power kicked off District Council 37 (DC 37)’s ‘Labor for Harris’ rally at City Hall Park on Broadway and Park Place Wednesday evening less than two weeks before the 2024 election.
Hundreds of union workers from across New York City, many sporting green AFSCME for Harris Walz signs and tee shirts, came together in support of Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Other signs included ‘Labor Votes’ and a drawing depicting Harris dressed as Rosie the Riveter.
Labor rally attendees standing in front of stage. (Photo by Amanda DeJesus.)
District Council 37, which represents New York City public employees, officially announced their 2024 endorsement of Harris back in August.
Shaun D. Francois I, president of DC 37 and Local 372 N.Y.C Board of Education employees, told Pavement Pieces shortly before the rally, “we gotta get someone who can get the job done” in reference to Harris.
“It’s in the wreckage, it’s in the making of what she does. Her history. Her resume. I mean it’s just a no brainer,” he said.
Francois said he favors Harris over the former president and Republican nominee Donald J. Trump.
“It’s been so much nonsense with the brother Trump,” he said. “We need someone who needs to do the right thing for the American people.”
“Make America Great Again?” Francois, who is Black, added referring to Trump’s famous campaign slogan. “For my people, when was it ever great?”
Henry Garrido, executive director of DC 37, emceed the event on a stage set up by organizers. He introduced speakers like Governor Kathy Hochul among other politicians and union leaders.
As one of the delegates for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Garrido was present alongside event guest Governor Hochul during the roll call of Kamala Harris’ nomination for the state of New York this past August.
“One of things that [has] been raised in this election is where women in this world — where do they belong right? The place of a woman has been questioned. Well I’ll tell you where they belong: in the White House!” Garrido said about Harris.
Governor Hochul, who was the first to speak, riled the crowd by asking them if they were “fired up” and recounted her time campaigning across the country for Harris.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaking on stage at the rally Wednesday evening. (Photo by Amanda DeJesus.)
“I know what it’s like to go from number two to the big spot,” she said, drawing a comparison between her and Harris after being appointed to governor of New York state from lieutenant governor in 2021.
“There’s a lot of attention on you, there’s a lot of focus, a lot of stress,” she said. “But I’ll tell you what. She is ready. She will be a great leader.”
The New York City Central Labor Council’s NYC Labor Votes, a union focused political education and engagement program, tabled the event with QR codes and printed informational materials on voter registration and resources. This included the NYC Labor Votes initiative’s union voter guide for local, state and federal elections with their candidate endorsements. The tables also gave out the green AFSCME for Harris Walz signs, shirts and stickers to attendees.
Lucia Gomez, political director of the NYC Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO,) helped organize the rally in collaboration with DC 37 among other unions.
Gomez told Pavement Pieces that the organizers wanted workers “feel that energy and to ensure that they turn out the vote.”
Gomez said that the Biden and Harris administration policies are “the most pro-union” in modern day versus Trump’s policies.
“Anything that is a union value Kamala Harris has as a value,” she said, “Which is the protection of workers and the dignity and their ability to be able to earn good wages without necessarily being exploited.”
Speakers included Hochul, Gloria Middleton, president of Communications Workers of America Local 1180; James Davis, president of Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY); Adrienne Adams, speaker of the New York City Council; Christopher Erikson Jr., senior assistant business manager of Local Union No. 3 IBEW; Jessica Ramos, state senator (D-N.Y.) and Vincent “Vinny” Alvarez, NYC Central Labor Council president.
A few counter protesters to the rally were present. One shouted an expletive to Hochul during her speech in which she responded, “Thank you. [I] feel the same about you.” The crowd subsequently clapped and cheered her on before she resumed speaking.
Calls for Harris, if she wins the election, to make House Rep. and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) Speaker of the House were echoed throughout the rally by multiple speakers. Also, many speakers advocated for voting ‘yes’ to Proposition 1 on the back of the New York state ballot this election, which would add an Equality Rights Amendment to the state constitution.
Unions and organizations represented included the Professional Staff Congress, National Federation of Teachers, IBEW Local No. 3, CWA District 1 and 1180, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), Local 78, Local 79, Local 1010 New York State Nurses Association, UFCW Local 1500, RWDSU, Civil Service Employees Association, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and SAG-AFTRA.
Rally attendees holding up a Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) New York chapter sign. (Photo by Amanda DeJesus.)
Attendees gathering at the entrance of City Hall Park. (Photo by Amanda DeJesus.)
Attendees and pedestrians around the NYC Labor Votes voter registration and resource table. (Photo by Amanda DeJesus.)
