(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - “The largest organization for Women in the country is actually the labor movement,” so said Rebecca Damon, who serves as the Executive Director of Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (SAG-AFTRA) New York Local and now also the Co-Chairperson of a new committee dedicated to Women’s issues at the New York State AFL-CIO. 

“We’re really going to be led by Women from the education, health care, entertainment and so many other industries across the State,” she said. 

The State AFL-CIO held its first-ever Women’s Committee meeting at the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Headquarters in Albany last month.

Damon’s fellow co-chairs are NYSUT President Melinda Person and New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) President Nancy Hagans.

The Labor Federation represents 2.5 million working New Yorkers, across more than 3,000 Unions.  Nearly half - 49%, of its Members are Women.

Person said the idea to establish a Women’s Committee was formed after she attended her first State AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting last Summer, where she noticed that there were few Women.

The Union Leaders were also inspired to create a Women’s Committee to expand on the work of existing Women’s Committees at several AFL-CIO Affiliates, including American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 37, SAG-AFTRA and NYSUT.

Damon said that she, Person and Hagans were particularly aware of the current climate in which Women’s rights, particularly their reproductive rights, were being rolled back.

“We felt like this was the right time to do it,” Damon said.

A resolution was passed last December by the Federation establishing a committee dedicated to addressing issues that impact Female Workers.

“This group is a vital step toward amplifying Women's voices in Labor, advocating for equality and ensuring Women’s issues are front and center,” Person said. “NYSUT’s long-standing Women’s Committee was made permanent in 2017 and each year we have expanded the education, mentorship and resources we offer to uplift Women in our Union.  The New York State AFL-CIO Women’s Committee extends this empowerment throughout New York State Labor.”

Damon added that the Executive Council and the State AFL-CIO’s President, Mario Cilento, immediately supported the idea of creating a Women’s Committee.

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