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Form a Union

Organizing a union in your workplace is about getting more rights and more power. Thousands of working people—all across the country and in all kinds of jobs—organize unions every year because unions are the best way to secure the things you care about.

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New York State AFL-CIO

Helping Working Families Achieve a Better Life

The New York State AFL-CIO is a federation of 3,000 affiliated public sector, private sector, and building trades unions throughout the state, representing 2.5 million members, retirees and their families.  Our members live and work in every community in our state, and reflect the diversity that makes New York great.

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Sign up to receive email updates about our work and how you can support working people.

Check Out the Union Strong Podcast

Get the latest on NY's union movement. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on our YouTube channel.

Check Out the Union Strong Podcast

COPE Day at the Races 2025

Save the Date! COPE Day at the Races will be on July 17, 2025. Tickets are available now.

COPE Day at the Races 2025

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man holding sign in a crowd that says "i'll give up my union card when you pry it from my cold dead hand"
Unionize Your Workplace

Unionize Your Workplace

Organizing a union with your coworkers gives you the right to negotiate with your employer for the wages, benefits and working conditions that you deserve. 

Get Organized

Exterior of Albany Medical Center on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, on New Scotland Avenue in Albany N.Y. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Letter to the Editor: Albany Med Nurses, Region Deserve Better
News

Letter to the Editor: Albany Med Nurses, Region Deserve Better

We are fortunate in the Capital Region to have Albany Medical Center, the region’s largest hospital and the only Level 1 trauma center between Canada and Westchester. Our members and their families, nearly 240,000 in the Capital Region, rely on Albany Med for care.

Letter to the Editor: Albany Med Nurses, Region Deserve Better

a row of robots working on laptops
Unions’ advocacy for workers’ rights includes impact of AI
News

Unions’ advocacy for workers’ rights includes impact of AI

Labor Day is a time for workers to celebrate with friends and family. It also presents an important opportunity to reflect on how far the union movement has come in the fight for workers’ rights and the challenges that lie ahead.

Unions’ advocacy for workers’ rights includes impact of AI

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Upcoming Events

17 Jul
COPE Day at the Races 2025
11:00AM - 6:00PM

Saratoga Race Course 
267 Union Avenue 
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

COPE Day at the Races 2025

You are cordially invited to join your union family for our annual Day at the Races, July 17th from 11am - 6pm to benefit the New York State AFL-CI