ALBANY, N.Y. May 1, 2019 — More than 2,000 New York State United Teachers delegates will gather in Albany Friday and Saturday for the union’s 47th annual Representative Assembly.
“I am proud to say that despite attempts to destroy organized labor, our union is stronger than ever before,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “We look forward to celebrating union values and the democratic process, and discussing policies that will ensure strong public education, health care, human services and unions.”
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and presidential candidate Tim Ryan are scheduled to address delegates during general session Friday evening between 5 and 7 p.m. at the Albany Capital Center.
Immediately following Ryan’s remarks, Ryan and Weingarten will hold a town hall Q&A with a select group of NYSUT members. The town hall is one in a series that will take place as part of AFT’s 2020 presidential endorsement process, during which all candidates will be invited to engage with AFT members from around the country.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento and Assembly Education Committee Chairman Michael Benedetto are slated to address delegates during general session Saturday morning between 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Albany Capital Center.
Pallotta will deliver his State of the Union address Friday. NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene DiBrango, Second Vice President Paul Pecorale and Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham will address delegates during Saturday’s session.
Media interested in attending the convention are asked to RSVP by emailing mediarel@nysutmail.org by 9 a.m. Friday morning. Only credentialed media will be allowed on the convention floor.
This year’s Representative Assembly is the first of five that will take place at the Capital Complex in Albany, utilizing space at the Albany Capital Center, Empire State Plaza Convention Center and The Egg. It is the first time NYSUT’s Representative Assembly has convened in Albany since 1987.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.