City Council passes resolution calling for Labor History Month in public schools * Brooklyn Paper

"New York City is a union town, and on May 14, the New York City Council passed Resolution 26 , calling for the creation of a Labor History Month in the city's public schools. The measure aims to educate students about the labor movement's role in securing workers' rights, including workplace protections and the 40-hour workweek. A similar bill was passed by the California Legislature in 2023."

"The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Alexa Avilés (D-Brooklyn), emphasizes the importance of advancing workers' collective power amid declining union density nationwide. Avilés underscored the need to raise awareness about existing workplace protections and how they were won. For Labor History Month to become a reality, however, the New York City Department of Education would need to establish the designation."

"The resolution calls for dedicating the month of May in honor of International Workers' Day, or May Day, on May 1, which commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago. Avilés is encouraging residents to join her in advocating for the implementation of Resolution 26 by filling out a support form shared on her social media so young people can learn about the labor movement's role in shaping society."

""It's crucial to arm young people with knowledge so they can enter the workforce and advocate for their rights. We owe so much to the labor leaders of history who have stood up to demand protections we take for granted now - two-day weekends, child labor laws, and workplace safety protections, to name a few. Students deserve to be educated on the history of organized workers in our country," Avilés said in a statement."

New York City is a union town, and the New York City Council passed Resolution 26 on May 14 to create Labor History Month in city public schools. The measure would educate students about the labor movement’s role in securing workers’ rights, including workplace protections and the 40-hour workweek. The resolution is sponsored by Council Member Alexa Avilés and is intended to advance workers’ collective power amid declining union density nationwide. It calls for dedicating May in honor of International Workers’ Day, or May Day, on May 1, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago. The New York City Department of Education would need to establish the designation for the month to become reality. Co-sponsors include Shahana Hanif and Kayla Santos.

Read at Brooklyn Paper