“I want to say thank you. You set a standard and a tone for the rest of the labor movement in the state. You make us that much stronger every time you win, so thank you for that.”
Cilento spoke to delegates at the 2026 NYSUT Representative Assembly Friday, praising members for their work and their advocacy. He said that NYSUT makes itself heard on every single one of the issues of the day that affect not only NYSUT members, but the larger labor movement in the state.
Cilento also brought good news for the overall labor movement in New York: since last May, union membership in New York has increased by 129,000 members.
“They see people fighting for what they believe in. They see people fighting for a better retirement, they want that for themselves, for their family. That is a credit to each and every one of you.”
As the fight to Fix Tier 6 continues, Cilento recounted the historic rally in Albany from March, when 15,000 people filled the MVP Arena to advocate for a dignified retirement. And he left NYSUT members with a single promise, “As sure as I am standing here, I know that when this budget is done, we will have fixed Tier 6.”