Published: August 1, 2010

If giving hardworking New Yorkers a voice in Albany is a crime, 32BJ pleads guilty. The truth is that unions help focus attention on the hardships of often-forgotten low-wage New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet (“State budget lives on borrowed time,” July 19).

With more than 3 million New Yorkers living in or near poverty, they are not just another special interest group, but a disturbingly large segment of our population who have no lobbyists of their own. Passing legislation that helps workers provide for their families is sound public policy. This is one case where state government should be applauded for standing up to special interests and delivering for millions of working families.

—Mike Fishman
President
32BJ SEIU