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To the editor:
The retirement of Vincent Alvarez, the New York City Central Labor Council’s president, comes on the heels of Municipal Labor Committee Chair Harry Nespoli stepping down.
While Vinnie deserves plaudits for “fighting for the rights and wellbeing of working people,” as AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said, unfortunately he had a moral blind spot when it came to preserving the health benefits of retirees (as did Nespoli).
On Aug. 24, 2023, he and the Central Labor Council signed on to a letter sent by MLC leadership to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams opposing legislation that would have codified retiree health benefit protections. The letter amplified falsehoods, e.g., the bill was illegal and jeopardized collective bargaining.
Marianne Pizzitola, the resident of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees, rebutted: “In response to the MLC Letter, former NYC Labor Leaders who knew that the arguments put forth by the MLC were false, contacted us to lend their support. Not only did THEY run their unions, and collective bargaining, they were also on the MLC and many served in the Central Labor Council for years and some for decades.“
And what about the current version of the bill, Intro. 1096? Vinnie and the Central Labor Council have not changed their position!
Hopefully the new leader will take off the blinders, come to reason and be on the right side of labor history.
Harry Weiner
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