New York, NY -- Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez released this statement on the reported deal arrived at late last night by legislative and executive leaders at the state capitol.
"Today is truly an uplifting day for millions of New Yorkers;" said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, "workers have finally won an agreement on a higher wage and paid family leave across the state. So many have struggled to make today a reality--through firings, harassment, strikes and walkouts. It is a well-earned victory for the brave men and women who battled on the front lines--standing up for workers from every corner of New York. The efforts of the many leaders who made today possible--from Governor Andrew Cuomo; the Democratic Assembly Caucus, led by Speaker Carl Heastie; progressive leaders here in New York City such as Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, my colleagues at the Council and the organizers on the ground, all of whom stood with these brave workers at every step--have delivered real results for some of our hardest working New Yorkers. It is unacceptable for our residents working over 40 hours per week to remain trapped in poverty. I believe the economic benefits of this bold step will be substantial: bolstering working families' tight budgets, while driving the consumer demand that leads to job growth across sectors. It is a great day for workers, for New York and for our country."
Council Member Rodriguez has joined countless actions over the past five years as the campaign for a higher minimum wage grew in size. In 2013, he helped to support workers from McDonalds, Dominos Pizza and Burger King, who had gone on strike to protest poverty wages. Through his support and that of Attorney General Schneiderman, workers at the Dominos Pizza on 181st Street in his district were reinstated in their jobs after receiving termination notices for standing up to wage theft.
