Labor
The 2024 Labor Power 100
New York’s most influential union leaders
City & State presents the 2024 Labor Power 100. ELZA GOFFAUX/AFP via Getty Images
Organized labor is an integral part of life in New York, from the private and nonprofit sectors to the world of politics and policy. Union leaders use their influence to advocate for their members, often improving pay levels and working conditions, while making endorsements of candidates and laying out policy priorities – and then mobilizing to support them.
Labor issues big and small are shaping the future – both in New York and nationally. In recent years, the Starbucks and Amazon unionization efforts broke through in Buffalo and Staten Island, respectively, amid a rising pro-labor tide that is swamping even the largest corporations in the country. Elsewhere, professional dancers are standing up to protect their rights. Legal aid attorney, legislative staffers, skilled laborers in the construction industry – and many other working New Yorkers – are not hesitating to demand better conditions.
This year’s Labor Power 100 features dozens of notable union leaders – in New York City and all across the state – who are shaping the future of New York.
1. George Gresham
The leader of the nation’s largest health care union, George Gresham is delivering for his members and addressing health equity in New York. Gresham fought proposed health care cuts by Gov. Kathy Hochul during the state budget process, saying that they would harm hospitals in low-income communities. Gresham also teamed up once again with the Greater New York Hospital Association to reduce the Medicaid funding gap in this year’s budget. Gresham has been a key advocate for keeping SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn open, saying the state’s reserve fund balance could cover the costs.
2. Henry Garrido
Following last year’s five-year contract agreement with New York City boosting pay for 90,000 municipal employees, Henry Garrido finalized a new agreement for his members working for the City University of New York in January. The CUNY pact calls for 14.9% in raises across the life of the contract, a minimum wage hike to $18 an hour and a ratification bonus. Garrido, who leads the 150,000-member municipal workers union, kicked off the city budget cycle this year by suing Adams over proposed spending cuts. But he has allied with Adams on proposals to change retirement health benefit plans for city workers.
3. Gary LaBarbera
During this year’s state budget process in Albany, labor titan Gary LaBarbera was a proponent of new affordable housing proposals, portions of which made it into the compromise housing package adopted by lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul. At the same time, the union chief and New York City Mayor Eric Adams teamed up to launch a $400 million affordable housing fund. LaBarbera is also celebrating the approval of the new soccer stadium in Queens, which he says will increase construction jobs.
4. Manny Pastreich
Since taking over as the leader of the 175,000-member 32BJ SEIU in late 2022, Manny Pastreich has been on a roll. At the end of last year, Pastreich secured a new contract that includes a raise and a pension boost for 20,000 building maintenance workers, in a move that headed off a strike. Pastreich has also targeted hospital pricing, saying the rising costs of private hospitals hurt union members, which is the focus of a New York City hospital pricing transparency law signed last summer.
5. Michael Mulgrew
As the leader of New York City’s nearly 200,000-member teachers union since 2009, Michael Mulgrew is one of the most powerful and longest-serving labor leaders in New York. Mulgrew put political pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul with his lawsuit against congestion pricing, which the governor ultimately paused. He then withdrew UFT’s backing of proposed changes to city retiree health benefits amid growing opposition from retired teachers. Mulgrew has also put forward a plan to reduce city class sizes starting in September, years ahead of schedule.
6. Mario Cilento & Terrence Melvin
Mario Cilento, the longtime leader of New York’s 2.5 million-member umbrella labor organization, enjoyed another strong year in Albany. He led a coalition that pushed successfully to reform the state’s pension system, which Cilento argues will improve employee retention. He also saw lawmakers pass legislation to regulate artificial intelligence use by state agencies, new protections for workers with PTSD and a requirement that municipal industrial development authority boards include a worker and school district representative. Cilento has also focused on workers’ compensation and the economic benefits of immigration. Cilento’s top deputy, veteran labor leader Terrence Melvin, started his career in union leadership with his 1983 election as president of CSEA Local 427 at the age of 21.
7. Rich Maroko
Rich Maroko is putting his considerable clout on the line in a push for a proposed hotel safety law that would require hotel registration in New York City, ban subcontractors for core functions and enact additional safety measures. Maroko’s 40,000-person hotel workers union enjoys strong support for the measure in the New York City Council, but the hotel industry is mobilizing against it. Meanwhile, Maroko is likely to see his membership ranks swell with the state poised to award three casino licenses in downstate by the end of next year.
8. Dennis Trainor
Dennis Trainor is celebrating passage of state legislation to protect workers at call centers awarded state contracts. The legislation, awaiting action by Gov. Kathy Hochul, prevents the displacement of call center workers if the contract changes, including preventing these jobs from being sent out of state. CWA is also pushing the state Health Department to enforce clinical staffing levels at hospitals to ensure patient safety. In New Jersey, CWA was involved in one of the region’s most competitive congressional primaries, endorsing Rep. Rob Menendez, who won a key Democratic primary in June.
9. Nancy Hagans & Pat Kane
The job of a nurse is never done. A year after major nursing strikes helped resolve contract impasses at several New York hospitals, the leaders of the state nurses union are now pushing for a resolution to the staffing crisis that they say is hindering New York’s hospitals and nursing homes. In addition to rallying in the state Capitol, Nancy Hagans and Pat Kane are calling on the state Health Department to enforce the 2021 hospital staffing laws to address the shortage. The shortage, and the impact on patient care, topped the union’s legislative agenda this year. Hagans is also a member of the Council of Presidents for National Nurses United.
10. John Samuelsen
John Samuelsen does not mince words. In the midst of contentious contract negotiations for commuter rail workers, the powerful TWU chief called the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s negotiation tactics “criminal fraud” and demanded a state legislative investigation – and offered scathing words for Gov. Kathy Hochul. Samuelsen, an MTA board member, championed federal legislation to create an MTA safety committee to develop safety and assault prevention strategies. He also negotiated new contracts that won Southwest and Allegiant flight attendants paid parental leave and JetBlue flight attendants a mid-contract raise.
11. Vincent Alvarez & Janella Hinds
Starting his fourth term as the head of the powerful, 300-union New York City Central Labor Council last year, Vincent Alvarez is now immersed in the world of international athletics. He has praised the 2026 World Cup finals coming to New York and New Jersey and noted that the CLC plans to work with the host committee to ensure that labor standards, including union jobs and fair wages, are a part of the global event. The Central Labor Council is also pushing for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Retail Worker Safety Act, which aims to protect store workers from violence. Janella Hinds, the umbrella labor group’s secretary-treasurer, is a one-time social studies teacher who has been focused on health- and education-related programs with the CLC. Hinds, who is also a UFT vice president for academic high schools, is currently chairing a New York City labor committee focused on child care needs.
12. Stuart Appelbaum
Stuart Appelbaum is a veteran labor leader – and a crime fighter too. Amid a spate of retail store thefts in New York City, Appelbaum championed the state’s Retail Worker Safety Act that passed in the Legislature this year. The union, an early endorser of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, also led bookstore organizing at Barnes & Noble in several states and is taking on REI in labor bargaining. Among his many titles, Appelbaum is also executive vice president of the 1.3-million member United Food and Commercial Workers union, vice president of the National AFL-CIO and president of 160-union UNI Global Commerce federation.
13. Harry Nespoli
No New York City agency has generated more buzz lately than the Department of Sanitation, with Commissioner Jessica Tisch revamping trash collection. But sanitation union chief Harry Nespoli is questioning her agenda, noting that the new garbage trucks and bins won’t work on narrow streets and may not be opened by residents with disabilities. Nespoli does want city officials to increase rat mitigation efforts, noting a rise in trash collectors contracting leptospirosis, a disease transmitted by exposure to rat urine. Meanwhile, as chair of the influential Municipal Labor Committee, Nespoli has been in the thick of efforts to overhaul retiree health care, which was dealt a blow when the United Federation of Teachers withdrew its support for City Hall’s Medicare Advantage plan.
14. Wayne Spence
This year, Wayne Spence was reelected to a historic fourth term at the helm of the New York State Public Employees Federation. The election came months after Spence helped to secure long-sought changes to Tier 6 of the state pension fund, which will allow for a recalculation of benefits for employees in that tier to bring them in line with other tiers. Spence has been advocating for more remote work options for state employees, saying this would allow the state government to fill the growing number of vacancies.
15. Mary Sullivan & Lester Crockett
Mary Sullivan’s rise to the top of one of New York’s most important public employee unions began when she was a social worker in the Herkimer County Department of Social Services. This year, Sullivan scored a major win with reforms to Tier 6 of the state pension plan. The move would change pension calculations for Tier 6 employees, which Sullivan said would bring Tier 6 in line with other tiers. Lester Crockett, the four-term leader of CSEA’s Region 2, has been working to advance key priorities for union members and also to commemorate major milestones in the history of organized labor. This includes leading ceremonies to remember those lost in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
16. Joseph Geiger
Joseph Geiger has positioned the 20,000-member New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters as a political force. His union helped kill the 421-a affordable housing incentive two years ago, then insisted on stronger labor standards and a better deal for tenants from the real estate industry in this year’s compromise package that includes a revamped affordable housing incentive. In June, the union’s endorsed candidate, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, beat Rep. Jamaal Bowman in a Democratic congressional primary. Geiger is also leveraging the union’s power in multiple rezonings.
17. Melinda Person
Melinda Person was a big winner in this year’s state budget negotiations, her first as president of the New York State United Teachers. Person fended off Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed state education aid overhaul, secured changes to the state’s pension tiers and helped shape the future of SUNY Downstate Medical Center. After the budget, Person saw the passage of legislation to set a maximum temperature for school buildings, which she says will help student health and learning. She also celebrated the passage of union-backed social media safety legislation.
18. Andrew Ansbro
Andrew Ansbro, whose union represents New York City firefighters, has said that any budget cuts would lead to fewer firefighters on trucks and longer times to put out fires. Ansbro has also been an opponent of congestion pricing in Manhattan, arguing it could have resulted in firefighters exposing other transit commuters to possible toxins on their clothing or gear. Ansbro has come out in support of new FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker, noting Tucker’s history of support for the department.
19. Patrick Hendry
Patrick Hendry has a message for elected officials: If you don’t support law enforcement, his union will mobilize to elect your opponent. The 30-year NYPD veteran has been busy since he succeeded Patrick Lynch last year at the helm of the 24,000-member New York City Police Benevolent Association. He sided with Mayor Eric Adams on legislation the mayor vetoed – and the City Council overrode – that requires the NYPD to log every encounter with the public, arguing it hinders police work. Hendry also backed improved pension benefits passed in Albany and has decried assaults on police officers.
20. Thomas Gesualdi
With climate change spurring unpredictable fluctuations in the weather, Thomas Gesualdi wants New York lawmakers to protect workers from extreme temperatures. His 120,000-member labor organization is pushing legislation that includes access to hydration and air conditioning, along with access to warmth and shade. He is also supporting state legislative efforts to rewrite New York’s antitrust laws to address 21st century corporate practices, saying it would protect workers as a counter to the power of companies like Amazon.
21. Donato Bianco
Laborers’ International Union of North America is a powerful defender of workers in New York, and the well-connected Donato Bianco is LIUNA’s top leader in the state. Bianco, a veteran of the Rhode Island labor movement, took over last year as chief of the New England region, which includes New York with its 40,000 LIUNA members. Last year, after succeeding Armand E. Sabitoni in the leadership role, Bianco helped pass state legislation to require utility workers on projects that receive local permits to open streets to be paid a prevailing wage.
22. Mike Hellstrom
Mike Hellstrom is a key player in setting New York’s housing policy, negotiating earlier this year with the Real Estate Board of New York over a wage floor for construction workers on projects receiving incentives under the state’s new affordable housing program. The deal sets a $35 an hour floor that would grow to $40 an hour. Hellstrom, who’s a vice president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, is also pushing legislation to use the prevailing wage rate for projects that receive $1 million or more in public financing.
23. Rebecca Damon
After a momentous year, including a strike that shut down the television and film industry and resulted in a new contract that addressed issues relating to artificial intelligence, Rebecca Damon is still in the thick of the developing world of AI and the entertainment industry. Damon is pushing legislation passed by lawmakers in New York that would prevent the voices and likenesses of actors from being used without their permission. Damon is also a co-chair of the New York State AFL-CIO Women’s Committee, which supports the push for the state Equal Rights Amendment in November.
24. Bhairavi Desai
New York City recently reached an agreement with Uber and Lyft to reduce driver “lockouts,” but Bhairavi Desai, the city’s top workers’ rights advocate in the ride-hailing industry, has blasted the deal as “a corporate giveaway” that actually does little. Desai and her New York Taxi Workers Alliance have been in the middle of a number of high-profile policy fights in recent years, from congestion pricing (she sought an exemption under the now-postponed program) to the taxi medallion debt crisis (which Desai helped resolve in 2021).
25. Marianne Pizzitola
Marianne Pizzitola has led the fight to protect the health care benefits of New York City public sector retirees. The leader of the city’s public service retirees has won several battles in her war against Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to transfer retirees from a traditional Medicare health care plan to a Medicare Advantage plan, arguing that the shift would increase health costs and reduce care options. The former FDNY emergency medical services staffer has filed several lawsuits to protect benefits for senior citizens, retirees with disabilities and 9/11 responders.
26. Michael O’Meara
A vocal proponent of law enforcement in New York, Michael O’Meara bolstered the police organization he leads by merging the New York State Association of PBAs into the Police Conference of New York. Representing some 200 unions with over 50,000 police officers among their members, PCNY is the largest police organization in New York. O’Meara, who also co-chairs the New York State Public Employee Conference and is legislative committee chair for the National Association of Police Organizations, helped secure state pension tier changes last year.
27. Randi Weingarten
Randi Weingarten is a high-profile opponent of former President Donald Trump and his campaign to reclaim the Oval Office. Weingarten emerged as a key supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign shortly after Harris entered the race in July. Harris has called Weingarten “a force.” Weingarten, who led the United Federation of Teachers before taking the helm of the 1.8 million-member national teachers union in 2008, argues that a second Trump term would harm students, citing pro-voucher policies advanced by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during Trump’s presidency.
28. John Durso
John Durso is the powerful leader of the 250,000-member Long Island Federation of Labor. Durso is backing a proposed casino at the Nassau Coliseum by Las Vegas Sands, saying it would boost the economy and create jobs, and he also served on the board that shaped the since-delayed congestion pricing plan. Additionally, Durso is an international vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers, vice president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, and president of 13,000-member Local 338, which has been organizing farmworkers in New York.
29. Frederick Kowal
Leading the State University of New York faculty union, Frederick Kowal’s advocacy is not just in higher education, but also in health care. Kowal has been focused on fully funding the state’s vast university system as well as its public teaching hospital. Kowal has been advocating for keeping SUNY Downstate Medical Center open in a fight that may continue into next year after a reprieve. Kowal also fended off proposed cuts to SUNY funding and has called on SUNY officials to reverse cuts at cash-strapped SUNY Potsdam as well as at SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Buffalo State University.
30. Greg Floyd
Greg Floyd plays a major role in New York City’s public sector workforce as president of the 24,000-member Teamsters Local 237, the nation’s largest Teamsters local. He opposed Mayor Eric Adams’ cancellation last year of a new class of school safety agents, arguing that the move undermines public safety. Floyd has also called for metal detectors to be installed in city schools in order to increase student safety and has argued that more data on school safety needs to be publicly accessible. Similarly, Floyd has been outspoken against efforts to remove school safety agents.
31. Benny Boscio Jr.
Benny Boscio Jr. fended off a challenge to win reelection to the presidency of the 16,000-member Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association in July, giving him another term to advocate for embattled correction workers. Boscio has called for the continued use of solitary confinement, despite a ban on the practice that was passed by the New York City Council. Facing a flood of retirements at the department and criticisms of conditions at Rikers Island, Boscio also wants the New York City Council to fund more correction officers. COBA is opposed to a potential federal takeover of Rikers Island as well.
32. Christopher Erikson
Offshore wind is a cornerstone of New York’s clean energy transition, and organized labor is mobilizing to make sure workers in the industry are fairly paid and unionized. The 29,000-member International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3 was on hand for the signing of a project labor agreement this year with Equinor for construction facilities along the Brooklyn waterfront for the Empire Wind project. Union leader Christopher Erikson and Equinor officials were joined by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and federal and state officials for the signing ceremony.
33. Henry Rubio
A year and half into his tenure leading the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Henry Rubio has already secured a favorable contract for his members. The agreement, reached last year, provides raises for each year of the contract, a ratification bonus of $3,000, increased input into virtual learning programs and a pathway for pay equity between elementary school principals and leaders at the secondary school level. CSA has also advocated against education cuts in New York City and for resources to implement new class size limits.
34. Peter Meringolo
The New York State Public Employee Conference made pension tier enhancements its top legislative priority this year, and this year’s state budget ultimately included changes to Tier 6 in the state pension plan to more closely align benefits with Tier 4 employees. The conference also sought legislation to exempt public sector employees from New York City congestion pricing while going to and from their jobs, an issue made moot when Gov. Kathy Hochul paused the toll program.
35. James Davis
City University of New York Board Chair Bill Thompson has learned that his duties do not end at board meetings. CUNY union leader James Davis brought the fight for a new contract to the door of Thompson’s Wall Street firm, with students and staff picketing calling for a contract agreement to be reached. This comes as Davis continues to press for increased funding for the CUNY system, noting that the final budget deal did not include restoration of cuts by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
36. Rafael Espinal
When he was a state legislator and a New York City Council member, Rafael Espinal advocated for freelance workers – and these days he’s working on the issue around the clock. It was Espinal who championed the 2023 Freelance Isn't Free Act, which protects against nonpayment to independent workers in New York, and now he’s supporting the creative sector by creating a new, low-cost PhotoHub space at his organization’s Industry City headquarters for social media content creators. He also informs freelancers of their rights and how to avoid being exploited.
37. Sam Fresina
Sam Fresina continues to deliver for his members through the state legislative process in Albany. This year, Fresina’s New York State Professional Firefighters Association, which represents 18,000 local firefighters statewide, advocated for legislation to ensure that support for survivors of firefighters is tied to the consumer price index, and it was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in June. The union also backed a bill to recognize thyroid cancer as a line of duty health condition, which also passed the state Legislature. Fresina serves as chair of the Albany County Airport Authority board.
38. Gary Bonadonna Jr.
Buffalo’s Elmwood Avenue is known for its coffee shops, cafes, artists, cute boutiques – and rising unionization movement. Gary Bonadonna Jr.’s Rochester Regional Joint Board, part of Workers United, is seeking to unionize Elmwood Taco & Subs, building on last year’s unionization of the nearby Elmwood Avenue Starbucks. Bonadonna is also leading the joint board in efforts to unionize the Pride Center of Western New York and notched unionization victories at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum and Citizen Action of New York.
39. Chris Summers
As leader of the state’s correctional officers, Chris Summers is making the case that closing prisons does not stem violence in the prison system. Summers has criticized the state’s decision to close the Great Meadows and Sullivan state prisons, saying the moves would lead to overcrowding at other facilities and disrupt the lives of correctional officers by forcing them to move their families. Summers has also opposed limits on solitary confinement, saying policy changes have hampered staffing levels and recruitment efforts.
40. Gloria Middleton
Gloria Middleton scored a big win for her 9,000 members in negotiating a new labor deal with New York City last year. The deal includes raises for the life of the contract, increased welfare fund contributions, an expansion of job titles covered by the contract and the launch of a flexible work pilot program for union members. In January, Middleton’s Communications Workers of America Local 1180 and District Council 37 negotiated a new contract with the city providing raises and a flexible work pilot program for 911 operators and supervisors. Staffers at several nonprofits have also joined her union.
41. James Mahoney
James Mahoney’s career with the ironworkers union reached a new milestone late last year when he traded his post as a general vice president for the job of general treasurer. Mahoney’s opposition to Hector LaSalle, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s failed nominee for chief judge, has continued to strain relations between the pair, with Hochul disinviting him from a speech announcing her housing plan. The ironworkers union is likely to be in the thick of next year’s New Jersey Democratic primary for governor, with union ironworker Steve Sweeney in the mix as a candidate.
42. Shaun Francois
A top priority for Shaun Francois at District Council 37 is ensuring that all New York City employees are automatically enrolled in city pension and benefit plans. Following the death of a city crossing guard who did not opt in to receive benefits, Francois supported efforts by the crossing guard’s family to make sure crossing guards were automatically enrolled in the pension plan. In addition to his key role at DC 37, which consists of 150,000 employees and 89,000 retirees, Francois is the president of Local 372, which represents city education employees.
43. Carmine D’Amato
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg may have been passed over for the Democratic vice presidential nomination, but he has a following with Laborers’ Local 731. The union cheered Buttigieg’s awarding of $3.4 billion in federal funds for the proposed Second Avenue subway expansion (though the governor’s congestion pricing pause has since put the project in limbo). Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Triumph Construction after two construction workers who belonged to Local 731 were killed in a trench collapse at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
44. Mike Prohaska & David Bolger
Forget raising the roof. Mike Prohaska and David Bolger want to raise the wage floor for workers installing flooring on construction projects. Prohaska leads Laborers Local 79 while Bolger leads the Laborers’ International Union of North America’s Mason Tenders’ District Council, a 17,000-member union with four locals. Prohaska backs the proposed Construction Justice Act, which includes a $40 an hour minimum wage, higher safety and worker treatment standards and priority for hiring local construction workers for affordable housing projects. The Mason Tenders played a key role in passing Carlos' Law in New York, to better protect construction workers. Bolger is pushing for the creation of project labor agreements for the SUNY system, saying it would keep construction work in New York and protect workers.
45. Daniel Levler
While Daniel Levler’s Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees backed Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine’s electoral victory last year, the two Long Island heavyweights may be on a collision course. Levler, who has led the 10,000-member public sector union for nearly a decade, wants to be at the table for any changes to oversight for child protective services, which Romaine is calling for after the death of an 8-year-old. Levler was also among the union leaders who successfully pushed for an overhaul of the state’s pension tiers in this year’s state budget.
46. Brandon Mancilla
Brandon Mancilla is a part of a youth wave in the labor movement. He got his start representing graduate assistants at Harvard University and is now heading up United Auto Workers’ efforts in the Northeast. The higher education sector is a growth area for the auto workers union, along with cultural institutions in New York. Mancilla has even been wading into foreign affairs, supporting UAW efforts for auto workers in Mexico and organizing a rally in Washington Square Park to support campus protests in favor of Palestine. Top UAW leader Shawn Fain, who led successful strikes against the Big Three automakers last year, is a key backer of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
47. Susan DeCarava
The NewsGuild of New York is having a busy year, with multiple labor actions to demand protections for journalists. The union organized one-day strikes at the Daily News, Forbes, Time magazine and Conde Nast to protest job cuts, while staff at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle voted to strike on the day of the solar eclipse this spring. NewsGuild of New York President Susan DeCarava has praised state lawmakers for a new journalism jobs tax credit this year, and called on the NYPD to apologize for a police official’s intimidation of a Daily News reporter.
48. Lori Ann Ames
With 30,000 members at 18 local unions across the country, Lori Ann Ames’ United Service Workers Union represents a wide range of workers, including those in the petroleum, automotive, transportation, energy, public service and alarm industries as well as clerical and white-collar workers. Over the past two decades, the union has seen a 22% rise in membership, along with growth in the benefits it can provide to members. Its headquarters is in New Rochelle, with offices in Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut as well.
49. James Shillitto
With New York pursuing an ambitious clean energy transformation, James Shillitto of Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2 wants to make sure utility workers aren’t left behind. Shillitto has called for worker retraining, citing efforts by Rise Light & Power in Queens to train employees as the Ravenswood plant transitions into a clean energy hub. The veteran Con Edison lineman has also negotiated a new four-year contract for his colleagues that secured major wage and benefits improvements and helped avoid a potential strike at the utility.
50. James Brosi
James Brosi, who succeeded James McCarthy as leader of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association in the past year, is a fan of new FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker, praising his background as a FDNY Foundation board member and his understanding of the department’s culture. Brosi is also a staunch advocate for those suffering from 9/11-related illnesses and opposed congestion pricing, arguing that many firefighters already do not want to work in Manhattan due to the larger buildings and complex fires – and that any toll would have made it more difficult to staff the borough.
51. Lou Civello
As the new president of Suffolk County’s influential police union, Lou Civello is wading into some of the state’s biggest criminal justice debates. He has been critical of New York’s Clean Slate Act, calling it an example of Albany lawmakers being “soft on crime.” Civello also secured a countywide health care agreement extension through 2028 and negotiated an enhanced longevity benefit for his members. In his prior role as a union vice president, Civello criticized policies that he says fuel public opposition to law enforcement.
52. Vincent Vallelong
Vincent Vallelong has no problem calling out elected officials he does not view as being supportive of New York City police. He warned New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and other elected officials to skip the funeral of slain NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller earlier this year. The leader of the 13,000-member NYPD sergeants union is urging his members to remain united amid negotiations for a new contract with the city and is praising a court decision to prevent changes to retiree health benefits.
53. Oren Barzilay
New York City’s emergency medical technicians and paramedics are among the first responders that assist many New Yorkers in need of medical assistance, but they are not paid equally with other first responders. Oren Barzilay wants to change this. As the EMT union negotiates with Mayor Eric Adams, Barzilay has made pay parity the union’s top priority and has gained support from the New York City Council. Barzilay also wants to address a rise in attacks on paramedics and EMTs in the city, saying the on-the-job risks are decreasing morale.
54. Vincent Variale
Advocating for the officers that keep New York City’s Emergency Medical Services team running, Vincent Variale is not shy about advocating for his members. Last year, Variale drew attention to the city’s move to create a new EMS sergeant rank, questioning if the rank was needed or if it was a way to slot in EMS lieutenants at a lower rank and pay. Variale has been a key advocate for improving EMS staffing levels and has joined EMT union leader Oren Barzilay in pushing for pay parity with firefighters in the city.
55. Charles Murphy
Charles Murphy advocates on behalf of the troopers in the New York State Police. Earlier this year, he commended an Erie County Court judge for finding a state trooper not guilty in the fatal shooting of a Pennsylvania man in downtown Buffalo. Murphy said the judge found that the trooper acted in accordance with his training and state law in discharging his weapon. Murphy this year welcomed new New York State Police Superintendent Steven James and said his 6,000-member union looked forward to working with James.
56. Ann Marie Taliercio
Central New York is becoming a semiconductor hub, with Micron planning an up to $100 billion investment there with about 9,000 Micron employees. Ann Marie Taliercio is focused on ensuring those jobs are unionized and that the broader region benefits, and she is calling on Micron to ink a community benefits agreement. Taliercio is also pushing to open up work permits for migrants to allow them to take unfilled jobs in the service industry, noting that organized labor can assist in the employment process. Her federation represents over 100,000 members in 200 local unions across Central New York.
57. Peter DeJesús Jr.
In March, Peter DeJesús Jr. was reelected unanimously as president of the 145,000-member Western New York Area Labor Federation, a regional AFL-CIO umbrella group that he has led since 2021. A former United Auto Workers plant worker who’s now a political coordinator for 1199SEIU, DeJesús has spearheaded labor education pilot programs in schools and partnered with community-based organizations to defend workers’ rights. DeJesús has also been in campaign mode on behalf of pro-union candidates, but has also noted that the labor-friendly Protecting the Right to Organize Act didn’t pass even when Democrats controlled Washington, D.C.
58. Joseph Azzopardi
With a rise in talk of apprenticeship programs as keys to workforce development, Joseph Azzopardi and the over 11,000-member IUPAT District Council 9 have been at the forefront of the conversation – and in its implementation. The union has overhauled its training center in Long Island City in order to bring about more training programs for the workforce. Azzopardi has also brought about agreements with outside groups including NYC Health + Hospitals in order to expand the workforce.
59. Edwin Christian & William Lynn
As longtime New York leaders for locals in the International Union of Operating Engineers, Edwin Christian and William Lynn are at the forefront of representing workers keeping buildings humming. Lynn has worked on a number of key contracts, including for workers at the Guggenheim Museum. Christian is a key leader on a number of labor and workforce development-related boards in New York City, including the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board and the executive board of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.
60. Ligia Guallpa
Deliveristas represent a growing part of New York City’s economy, and Ligia Guallpa has been advocating for delivery workers to get more benefits, including more e-bike charging stations. Guallpa is supporting a planned design by the city Parks and Recreation Department to convert old newsstands into Deliverista hubs, with charging stations, a rest area and office space. These moves come after state courts ruled in favor of a new higher minimum wage for these workers.
61. Tino Gagliardi & Sara Cutler
Tino Gagliardi has moved from orchestrating the New York musicians union’s activities to serving as the international president of the American Federation of Musicians. But the trumpetist is still making waves in New York, as he led negotiations with Hollywood to secure a new contract last year, working closely with his counterparts at SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America to secure higher pay and protections against artificial intelligence. Previously as head of the New York local, he led successful negotiations with Broadway and helped craft New York City’s cultural affairs plan. Since last year, Sara Cutler has led Local 802 for musicians in New York. The accomplished harpist is also a longtime labor leader who served on her union’s executive board and a trustee for its health fund. She chaired the musicians committee for both the New York City Ballet and the American Symphony Orchestra, along with working on initiatives related to recruitment and retention within Local 802.
62. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
The first person of color to serve as president of Writers Guild of America East, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen became president last year as WGA members voted on a new contract and to end the strike that had brought Hollywood to a halt. Cullen, a consulting producer on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” said she was “thrilled” with the new contract. A former foreign correspondent for Time magazine, Cullen has worked on diversity initiatives for WGA and this year oversaw WGA achieving a new contract for Sesame Workshop writers.
63. Matthew Loeb
Matthew Loeb and his 170,000-member International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees is opposing a proposed Times Square casino, as three downstate gambling licenses are up for grabs. The stage workers union, which has its main office in Manhattan, argues that a new casino would not help the theater industry, since casinos are designed to keep people inside. On another hot-button issue, Loeb views artificial intelligence as a tool for the industry – but one that needs to be regulated as part of any new contract.
64. Rashaan James II
It is a season of change for the Actors’ Equity Association, the live theater union, with actor Brooke Shields succeeding longtime President Kate Shindle. Rashaan James II, a dancer, was elected alongside Shields as the union’s eastern regional vice president. The leadership transition comes as the 51,000-member union is in negotiations with The Broadway League, a trade association representing theaters. James, a Buffalo native, also teaches tap, jazz and musical theater, is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, and sits on the boards of Black Queer Town Hall and Equality NY.
65. Rich Nigro
After more than four decades with Phil Rumore at the helm of the 3,800-member Buffalo Teachers Federation, Rich Nigro last year took the reins of one of Buffalo’s most influential labor unions. Nigro is tackling the rise of violence in Buffalo schools and has criticized Buffalo Board of Education President Sharon Belton-Cottman’s suggestion that since the teachers recently received a pay raise that they should be physically breaking up violence. Nigro said teachers should not put themselves in harm’s way but take other steps to reduce violence.
66. Tim Dymond
Tim Dymond wants every New Yorker to know that the New York State Police are facing a recruitment and retention crisis. Dymond is emphasizing that applications for open positions are down, retirements continue and more New Yorkers are leery of entering law enforcement. Dymond, who represents 1,200 State Police investigators, noted this is hindering the work of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, as retirements have slowed the bureau’s investigatory work, which includes overseeing enforcement of the state’s red flag gun legislation.
67. Scott Munro
Scott Munro succeeded Paul DiGiacomo as president of the Detectives’ Endowment Association this year, at a time when the New York City Police Department is experiencing a decline in the number of detectives. Munro, whose union has more than 5,000 active members and 20,000 overall including retirees, has moved to open up the union’s endorsement process in the presidential race, which occurred before President Joe Biden exited the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. The initial results indicate greater support for former President Donald Trump.
68. Bill Banfield
Bill Banfield is taking aim at wage theft in the construction industry. The labor leader representing carpenters across much of New York has praised regulatory and law enforcement officials for cracking down on it in recent years, but he argues that new laws are needed to make enforcement more effective. Banfield serves as assistant executive secretary-treasurer of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, representing workers statewide except for those in New York City.
69. Connor Spence
A July election to determine control of the upstart Amazon Labor Union saw the Amazon Reform Caucus come out ahead amid efforts to finalize a contract with the retail giant. New President Connor Spence and his team pledged to reform the union, including increasing the size of the executive board, implementing financial transparency and creating a system of shop stewards. The leadership change – and the exit of union founder Chris Smalls – comes after the union chose to affiliate with the Teamsters.
70. José Maldonado
Nothing could upset a Brooklyn Nets fan more than attending a game at Barclays Center and not being able to get a snack or a drink. This was avoided last year when José Maldonado from UNITE HERE Local 100 negotiated a new contract with the entertainment center that will provide raises and new insurance benefits to concession workers. The 18,000-member union for food service workers is pushing for heat standards at Newark Liberty International Airport to protect catering staff.
71. Michael Carrube
Michael Carrube scored a major win in Albany when lawmakers passed the “death gamble” bill, but it still awaits action by the governor. Under the legislation, New York City Transit employees who are eligible for retirement but continue to work beyond the age of 55 and then die would have their full pension go to family members. Currently, surviving relatives can only receive three years of salary, which encourages earlier retirement. Carrube has also criticized the MTA’s moratorium on unauthorized overtime, saying it’s resulting in inadequate oversight of repairs.
72. Danny Cassella, Jose DeJesus, Tomas Fret & Luis Alzate
Running locals of the largest transit union in the country, Amalgamated Transit Union, Danny Cassella, Jose DeJesus, Tomas Fret and Luis Alzate represent the bus drivers that get New Yorkers to work and around the city. Cassella and his ATU Local 726 represents 2,000 active Staten Island-based drivers, mechanics and retirees. He has navigated strong support for Donald Trump among his members, even as transit has gotten more funding from the Biden administration. ATU Local 1179 President Jose DeJesus represents bus drivers, mechanics and line supervisors in Queens and is currently in talks on a new contract. Local 1181’s Tomas Fret, who represents New York City school bus drivers, negotiated a new contract with bus companies that headed off a school bus driver strike in the city. The deal included pay hikes and better health benefits. Local 1056’s Luis Alzate represents Queens-based drivers and is a vice president of the ATU Latino Caucus. Last year, ATU made an endorsement in the upcoming New Jersey governor’s race, throwing its support behind Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in his bid for the Democratic nomination.
73. Constance Bradley
Constance Bradley doesn’t want New Yorkers to part with their gas appliances. The union chief, who represents utility workers at National Grid, joined other labor leaders and lawmakers in opposing a transition to all-electric buildings last year, arguing that New York state’s electrical grid was not prepared for a quick change and that such a move would cost jobs in the utility industry for gas workers. Bradley’s Local 101 represents 1,600 workers in Brooklyn and Queens.
74. John Hutchings & Vincent Albanese
With New York’s clean energy industry growing and the green economy taking off, John Hutchings and Vincent Albanese are becoming key leaders in growing this new economic sector. The New York Laborers’ Organizing Fund, which is part of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, has played a role in supporting clean energy projects in the state and in backing public policy initiatives to expand the industry. This year, Albanese bolstered his environmental bona fides with his election to the board of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
75. Patrick Purcell
Patrick Purcell plays a key role in New York’s organized labor sector, bringing Laborers’ International Union of North America unions and their management contractors together in an effort to identify new work opportunities for unionized workers. Lately, Purcell has been a proponent of New York City’s newly approved soccer stadium. The stadium, to be constructed by the New York City Football Club in Willets Point, Queens, will be built with union labor and serve as a key role in growing the sports economy in the borough.
76. Andre Iguodala
Last October, Golden State Warriors star Andre Iguodala left the basketball court behind – but within weeks he took on a new challenge in representing players across the National Basketball Association. Iguodala’s appointment was applauded, given his success on the court and his business endeavors off the court – and his long tenure on the NBPA’s executive committee as a player. The New York-based NBPA recently announced a partnership with artificial intelligence company MeetKai to create a new AI and metaverse experience for fans.
77. Nneka Ogwumike
Nneka Ogwumike is not just a basketball superstar – she’s a top union leader for WNBA players. Ogwumike leads the players union as the profile of women’s basketball reaches new heights thanks to rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association, headquartered in Manhattan, has raised concerns with the NBA’s new $75 billion media rights deal, which is slated to deliver $2.2 billion to the WNBA over 11 years. The union argues that the $200 million annual payments undervalue the WNBA and its players.
78. Patrick Guidice
Long Island’s energy sector is on the cusp of change, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1049 leader Patrick Guidice is pushing to protect his workers. Guidice has kept this focus at the forefront of discussions related to the future of the Long Island Power Authority, as a state legislative commission hammered out a plan for the utility. Guidice supports the current structure of energy agency, believing it to be in the best interest of IBEW members. Guidice worked with the state legislative commission on incorporating union recommendations that would protect members.
79. Rossmery Dais, Donna Rey & Sandi Vito
As the leaders of the 1199SEIU Family of Funds, Rossmery Dais, Donna Rey and Sandi Vito are the key officials behind the services that support members of the influential 1199SEIU union. Dais, a veteran of the union who now serves as executive director of the 1199SEIU Child Care Funds, ensures access to child care and a variety of educational and college preparation programs, with over 400,000 children served so far. Dais also co-chairs the Innovation Subcommittee for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Child Care Working Group and sits on New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ Mom’s Task Force. Rey is the executive director of the 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds and chief executive officer of the Family of Funds Administrative Operations, a role in which she oversees coverage of 450,000 people. She oversees key programs to deliver health care benefits and pensions to union members and retirees and secures cost savings while improving health outcomes for members. Vito, the executive director of 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds, oversees programs for workforce development and training for more than 20,000 health care workers each year. Vito previously served as Pennsylvania’s labor and workforce development secretary and as director of the 1199SEIU League Training and Upgrading Fund and the 1199SEIU Greater New York Education Fund.
80. Jim McCartney
Jim McCartney, a key backer of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2022 reelection campaign, leads a union representing forest rangers and environmental, parks and university police. He helped lead negotiations that secured a new contract for his members earlier this year. The contract ensures raises each of the three years of the agreement and 12 weeks of paid parental leave while also encouraging the use of in-network health coverage. McCartney, a police lieutenant at SUNY Morrisville, has been pushing for pension parity for his members.
81. Brendan Sexton
Representing drivers for ride-hailing apps, the Independent Drivers Guild is committed to defending gig workers in the ever-evolving sector. This year, in response to Uber locking drivers out of the app after a new federal rule about paying drivers for idle time, the union led a protest caravan to the front of Uber’s Long Island City, Queens, headquarters. Guild President Brendan Sexton also opposes New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plans for autonomous vehicle testing in the city, saying it would put drivers, pedestrians and children at risk.
82. James Conigliaro
James Conigliaro, the founder of the Independent Drivers Guild, has moved over to a new role this year as president of the Workers Benefit Fund, allowing the labor lawyer to focus on the delivery of benefits to gig workers. The Workers Benefit Fund partners with the Independent Drivers Guild and The Black Car Fund on delivering benefits for gig workers, including unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation, while also seeking to support and expand the unions that represent them. WBF marked a milestone this summer by enrolling its 50,000th ride-hailing driver in health benefits.
83. Dalvanie Powell
Dalvanie Powell has made raises for probation officers and ending a pay disparity between probation officers and others within the criminal justice system a key part of her efforts leading the probation officers union. The first Black female president of the 700-member United Probation Officers Association says her officers are “misunderstood” and that many New York City government officials do not grasp the work of probation. She also argues that the current pay structure has harmed staff recruitment and retention efforts.
84. Daniel Kroop
Unions play a critical role in New York City politics, and City Council members are now seeing it in their own offices. This spring, the council’s new staff union secured its first contract, including a raise in the minimum annual salary to $55,000, up from $30,000, and other protection for legislative staffers. In a Teen Vogue op-ed with leaders of legislative staff unions nationally, ALE President Daniel Kroop, a council staff financial analyst, credited his growing union not just for the salary increase but for adding protections from bullying and overwork.
85. Jessica Timo
Since taking the reins of the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153 last year, Jessica Timo has scored a number of wins for growing the ranks of unionized employees. This year, SAGE, the LGBTQ+ elder health care organization, recognized a new employee union affiliated with Local 153. And Local 153 is expanding higher education unions across multiple states, including ones for graduate assistants at Wesleyan University, resident assistants at Georgetown, Drexel and Bucknell, and for Smith College library staff.
86. Carmen Camelio
A year after forming a union, the nurses at Rochester General Hospital have seen the power that unions can wield in negotiations with management. The union inked a contract with the hospital last October, just two months after a 48-hour strike. The new contract also came four days before the union was set to stage a five-day strike, an action that received 91% support from members. President Carmen Camelio, an ICU nurse, said the new 42-month deal addresses many wage and staffing issues.
87. Keith Weidman
Workers at Howmet Aerospace in Kingston were deemed essential workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to make components for the defense and aerospace industries. Last year, though, they were at an impasse with Howmet on a new contract, leading to a 43-day strike before they secured a new contract. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1562 members won a pay hike, enhanced sick leave and increasing pensions, a package applauded by IAM District 15 Business Representative Kevin Weidman.
88. Corinthia Carter
Corinthia Carter leads Legal Services Staff Association Local 2320, representing secretaries, social workers, attorneys and other staffers at Legal Services NYC and Mobilization for Justice. Carter, who took the reins of the UAW’s LSSA 2320 in 2021, spearheaded a 13-week strike by attorneys for Mobilization for Justice that resulted in a new contract and raises for the attorneys and support staff at the housing right to counsel association. The contract also includes new flexible work programs, parental leave and alternative family planning coverage.
89. Kathryn Cernera
Ithaca may be a college town, but Cornell University isn’t universally admired, with some arguing the tax-exempt institution should pay its fair share. In discussions over raising the Ivy League school’s annual payment to the city, teachers union leaders called for an increase in payments to the local school system, up from $650,000 to between $4 million and $10 million. New teachers union leader Kathryn Cernera, who took over in July 2023, also negotiated with the school district to ensure all teachers have time to eat lunch and boost pay for instructors serving as dance chaperones.
90. Michelle Eisen
Michelle Eisen, a barista at a Starbucks on Buffalo’s Elmwood Avenue, is behind the biggest changes to the coffee chain since the frappuccino. A key organizer at the first unionized Starbucks, Eisen has testified before Congress, facilitated a national bargaining committee and seen the movement grow to include over 480 union stores and 11,000 workers. The labor push has unsettled executives and spurred internal divisions. Then-CEO Laxman Narasimhan had planned to start labor talks, but the union will now encounter Brian Niccol at the bargaining table since Narasimhan was ousted in August.
91. Cara Connolly
Ballet companies are becoming a new front in unionization efforts. Last year, dancers at the Syracuse City Ballet went on strike prior to a “Nutcracker” performance, alleging late notice of schedules, unsafe work rules and a hostile work environment. The ballet fired six of the dancers, including Cara Connolly. But the National Labor Relations Board ruled against the ballet, and the dancers reached a settlement, including back pay and an apology. The six dancers have now formed the Central New York Ballet, which is supported by leaders in the Syracuse civic community, and received a $259,000 state grant.
92. Alan Klinger
Alan Klinger moved over to Steptoe from Stroock when his old law firm dissolved last year, but the well-connected labor attorney hasn’t missed a step. Klinger helped the United Federation of Teachers restore education funds and represented the UFT and others in a legal challenge to congestion pricing. He has also advised the UFT, District Council 37, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, and the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, helping the last group negotiate a groundbreaking new contract with New York City recently.
93. Ed Draves
Ed Draves, who has assisted influential unions and powerful politicians in New York, is now putting his experience into combating climate change. Representing the New York State Pipe Trades Association, he has been working to implement the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act, which will create thousands of union construction jobs in line with the state’s landmark climate law. A former political and legislative director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Draves worked on campaigns for Hillary Rodham Clinton and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
94. Robert Bishop
Splitting his time between Pitta LLP’s offices in New York City and Albany, Robert Bishop is a key advocate for his many clients with business before state and city government bodies. Bishop’s impressive labor roster includes the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Sheet Metal Workers Local 28, District Council 4 International Association of Painters and Allied Trades, Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association and the New York City Central Labor Council.
95. Keyla Antigua
Keyla Espinal Antigua brings a record as an advocate for children to her role at lobbying powerhouse Bolton-St. Johns. Antigua now oversees the firm’s work on behalf of labor clients, along with entities in sectors including transportation, technology, business, social services and health care. Much of her work includes leading representation efforts in both Albany and Trenton along with at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Among the firm’s recent labor clients are the New York City Police Benevolent Association, Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW and the Jockeys’ Guild.
96. Robert Ungar
Albany- and Long Island-based lobbyist Robert Ungar helps public safety labor unions navigate the complexities of New York government. He recently lobbied successfully for a significantly improved 25-year retirement plan for FDNY’s fire inspectors. Ungar’s other clients include the Fire Marshal Benevolent Association of Nassau County, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Correction Officers Benevolent Association, the New York State Nurses Association, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York, the Nassau County Police Medic Association and the Westchester County Correction Superior Officer Association.
97. Matthew O’Connor
A veteran staffer of the upper echelons of the state Legislature, Hinman Straub’s Matthew O’Connor is now advocating for public sector employee unions in their dealings with state government. He has assisted the New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association, the New York State Police Investigators Association and the Organization of New York State Management/Confidential Employees on issues including recruitment and retention in the state police and fire departments as well as pensions, health, safety and training. O’Connor is the former chair of State Law Resources, a network of law firms specializing in state government affairs.
98. Karen Ignagni
Karen Ignagni is an insurance veteran with a keen understanding of labor, assets she brings to leading EmblemHealth. The former top lobbyist for America’s insurance industry, Ignagni has been growing EmblemHealth and its work in providing health insurance benefits for workers in New York. The nonprofit insurance provider, which serves more than 3 million people in the tri-state area, has a specialty in serving labor unions, among other clients. Ignagni has also focused on making health care more personalized, launching new neighborhood health care centers and utilizing a team-based approach to health.
99. James Cahill
As a vice president at Elevance Health and with Empire BlueCross BlueShield, James Cahill oversees the major health insurer’s work in providing health benefits to unions across New York. Cahill also works with labor union accounts on a national level. Cahill is an accomplished youth hockey coach, guiding a team to the 2021 USA Hockey 16U AAA National Championship and serves on the board of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade.
100. Michelle Zettergren
The first female president in MagnaCare’s 34-year history, Michelle Zettergren is driving initiatives to transform self-funded insurance pools in the organized labor sector. These have included implementing new technology initiatives, the development of custom administrative programs and direct provider contracting. Zettergren has a quarter century of experience in the health plan industry working directly with the labor sector and is involved in a number of industry groups at the national level.
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