(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers, Union Leaders and politicians rallied on the steps of City Hall Monday (March 31st) to call for increased funding for New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), which investigates exploitative labor practices and enforces Worker protections in the City. 

The rally comes after Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s preliminary budget for the next fiscal year proposed an 8% cut to the Department, from $82 million to $75 million.

Representatives from a myriad of Unions joined, including Residential Building Services Workers Union Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9A, to call for a budget of $135 million and more Staff for the Department.   

On the campaign trail as recently as three months before his inauguration, Mayor Mamdani pledged to double the budget of the DCWP, in recognition of its key regulatory role.

As Mayor, Mamdani has also consistently highlighted the work of the DCWP in eliminating hidden hotel fees, probing exploitative sick leave policies, and combatting wage theft and other labor violations. 

Just last week, the Mayor and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine announced a $1.8 million settlement secured by the Department for around 800 Workers who had their scheduling rights violated by Franchisees of Dunkin’ Donuts and Taco Bell. 

But now, faced with a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall, and with Governor Kathy Hochul unlikely to fill the gap with the revenue generated by his proposed higher tax on the wealthy, Mamdani has been left to make difficult budgeting choices.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions, City Council members call for more DCWP funding - The Chief