Public Employee Press

Poltical Action 2005

Somos conference honors
Latino workers

Without Social Security the number of Hispanics living in poverty would double.
— Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton

More than 1,000 union leaders, elected
officials and community activists converged on the state capital from April 15 to 17 for the 18th annual Somos El Futuro Legislative Conference.

The weekend summit — which featured workshops, a keynote speech by mayoral candidate Freddy Ferrer and a tribute to Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal — was dedicated to Latino labor. “This conference celebrates the laboring hands of children whose progenitors picked cotton and those who picked lettuce,” said conference chair and Bronx Democratic Assembly Member Peter M. Rivera. “These are the hands that will steer our nation’s industries and political system.”

The traditional Saturday morning labor breakfast honored two leaders for their long years of service to the labor movement: Héctor J. Figueroa, secretary-treasurer of SEIU Local 32BJ, and Joe Nazario, secretary-treasurer of DC 37’s Social Service Employees Union Local 371. “I’m extremely proud to receive this award,” said Mr. Nazario, whose union activism dates back to 1972. He has represented union members as a delegate, chapter chair, bargaining committee member and DC 37 rep. He was elected secretary-treasurer of Local 371 in 2001 and was re-elected in April.

Among the many politicians at the labor breakfast was Andrew Cuomo, who acknowledged labor’s significant political clout. “I watched as labor made Mario Cuomo (his father) the governor,” said Mr. Cuomo, who worked as his father’s campaign manager and is currently running for attorney general.

After the breakfast meeting the conference continued with workshops on a variety of critical issues, such as the Central America Free Trade Agreement, immigration reform, the rising cost of health care, teenage pregnancy and the state of public education. Leaders from many unions participated as workshop panelists, including Santos Crespo, exec. vice president of School Employees Local 372, and Yolanda Pumarejo, exec. vice president of Local 371.

Mr. Crespo lent his voice to a growing chorus of panelists who were critical of Chancellor Joel Klein’s policies. “This chancellor functions like the CIA,” he said. “Nothing is known until it happens.” Klein's policies have disenfranchised parents and prevented them from being involved in the education of their children, he said.

After a day of informative workshops, the conference continued with a reception hosted by state legislators and concluded with a dinner gala on Saturday night. At the reception, Local 372 was given a plaque by the Somos El Futuro Foundation honoring them for being the first labor union to co-sponser the first conference 18 years ago. Speaking at the reception, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton wasted no time in ripping into President Bush’s Social Security scam. “Don’t believe a word of it,” she warned.

“They’re trying to mislead everyone. Without Social Security the number of Hispanics living in poverty would double. Social Security is relied on by 41 percent of elderly Hispanics as their only source of income, and 81 percent have no other pension. What is in the heart of the Bush administration is to help the rich,” Clinton said.