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Articles by Mario Cilento
New York’s workers are union strong
Union members march during the NYC Labor Day Parade on Sept. 6, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) PUBLISHED: September 7, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT Labor Day is a time to celebrate the contributions of working people. They built this country, and by organizing and joining unions, they also built the middle class, creating a better quality of life for generations of working families.
Commentary: N.Y. is ready to tap into thermal energy. What are we waiting for?
A proposed pilot project in Haverstraw, Rockland County, would build a neighborhood-scale thermal energy system connecting residential, commercial and municipal buildings. Brian Logan/Getty Images Imagine entire neighborhoods where homes, schools and businesses are connected through a shared network that provides efficient heating and cooling year-round.
Why New York must pump the brakes on autonomous vehicles | Opinion Original
In mid-February, Gov. Kathy Hochul withdrew her proposal to expand the use of autonomous vehicles beyond New York City, due to public concerns about safety, jobs and other impacts that need to be addressed. But make no mistake, proponents are still pushing to permanently authorize these driverless vehicles statewide, replacing taxi cabs and other livery drivers, or for-hire operators, with so-called “robotaxis,” while disregarding the working people whose jobs hang in the balance.
Commentary: This Labor Day, honor the workers who power our economy
Happy Labor Day! For many, it’s a chance to enjoy the long weekend, marking the unofficial end of summer. But for the union movement across this country, it's a moment to honor the workers who are the backbone of our economy. It’s a celebration of working people who keep this country running, and a reminder of the ongoing struggle as the rich and powerful seek more control.
New nuke plant will unleash NY’s energy potential (Guest Opinion by Gary LaBarbera & Mario Cilento)
Gary LaBarbera is the president of the New York state and New York City Building and Construction Trades Councils. Mario Cilento is the president of the New York State AFL-CIO. New York state is leading the way on clean energy. However, the state’s progress toward achieving its emission reduction goals has been hindered by a lack of expansion of our nuclear capabilities. This is why Gov.
Commentary: Fair construction wages are a lifeline for New York’s economy
Any time there is a proposal to improve basic labor standards for New York’s tradesmen and tradeswomen, the same tired arguments never fail to resurface — that prevailing wage would increase construction costs, hurt business or hold back economic growth. But these arguments do not paint the full picture. And they are often co-opted by unscrupulous actors who are uninterested in ensuring all workers receive adequate compensation.
Commentary: LOADinG Act will ensure the state uses AI responsibly
Leaders across industries are quick to tell us that artificial intelligence will transform our world. We don’t disagree. But as news of algorithmic bias, manipulative deepfakes and the potential automation of millions of jobs piles up, we must put appropriate guardrails in place, especially when it comes to our state’s use of AI tools.
It's time for New York to get offshore wind back on track
It is no secret that New York’s offshore wind program has experienced some turbulence in recent months. The hurdles have resulted from supply chain constraints, high interest rates, and material changes in available components in the market. Despite these setbacks and some large project cancellations, Gov.
Commentary: Unions' advocacy for workers' rights includes impact of artificial intelligence on the workplace
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 built the U.S. middle class. The protections workers enjoy today were hard fought for and won by unions.
Commentary: Workers' compensation should cover mental injury, too
Every worker has the right to a safe workplace. That is a promise made more than 50 years ago on April 28, 1971, when the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect. OSHA did not just happen; the law was won because of the tireless efforts of the union movement, which fought for safer working conditions and demanded action from our government to protect working people.
Jobless benefits must be raised
It doesn’t matter how hard you work or what you do for a living — anyone can lose their job. Each of us are just one economic downturn, one corporate restructuring, or one stock market dip away from getting that dreaded call from HR. Every year, roughly 400,000 New Yorkers lose their jobs through no fault of their own. That’s where unemployment insurance is supposed to come in, as a short-term safety net to ensure that losing your job doesn’t mean losing your home.
In immigration wave, an opportunity to expand New York's economy
As leaders in New York’s labor movement and business community, respectively, we often have very different views on how to best position New York for economic growth and shared prosperity. However, we also pride ourselves on being able to find common ground on issues where there is a clear opportunity that benefits both businesses and workers. The recent influx of new arrivals to New York poses exactly this kind of opportunity.
Commentary: Life is better in a union
Labor Day is a time to celebrate the contributions of working people in every sector of the economy. It is also a time to reflect on all the union members who came before us and fought for the eight-hour workday, safety protections and more essentials that we take for granted. At this moment in time, union activity is surging across the country and right here in New York state with more workers coming together to join a union and more workers making the difficult decision to strike.
Emissions reduction and job creation go hand-in-hand
When the headline reads: "Energy companies, business and labor groups in agreement …," some people will naturally take pause. It's no secret that business and labor don't often see eye to eye. Labor's focus will always be on the workers, usually not on corporate benefits, but we have been able to work through our differences on one of the biggest challenges of our lifetimes, addressing climate change.
Another Voice: Emissions reduction and job creation go hand-in-hand
When the headline reads; “Energy Companies, Business and Labor Groups in Agreement … ,” some people will naturally take pause. It’s no secret that business and labor often don’t see eye to eye. Labor’s focus will always be on the workers – we aren’t often on the same page with big companies – but we have been able to work through our differences on one of the biggest challenges of our lifetimes, addressing climate change.
Commentary: Climate plan must include worker protections
Of all the challenges we face today, climate change is at the forefront. Our response will impact our communities for generations, which is why it is so critical that we meet our climate goals in a reasonable, feasible manner. The New York State AFL-CIO and our affiliates would like to be partners in finding solutions to this complicated problem. The burden of preventing climate change must not fall on the backs of working people.
Why Labor Peace Law Became Necessary
COVID-19 has taught us many things over the past two years. For some, it pulled back the curtain to reveal who our essential workers are. We've known all along. Many of them work for nonprofits in the social and human-services sectors. They provide home health care, early-childhood education and outreach to the homeless, among other services. Their work is demanding, sometimes dangerous and the pay is low. Not surprisingly, turnover is very high.
Commentary: To protect working people, protect their right to organize
On Labor Day as we celebrate working people and all they do; we also take note that at no other time in recent memory has it been so vitally important to be able to have a voice in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic not only highlighted how many workers we rely on, it proved how badly we need unions in this country so that workers have the freedom to speak up at work without fear of retribution and to be able to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions.
Dire straits for working New York: Extend expiring pandemic aid now
By Mario Cilento and Rich Maroko New York Daily News | Sep 06, 2021 at 6:00 AM Fittingly, the first recognized Labor Day holiday was held right here in New York City, which has always been at the forefront of some of the labor movement’s most important social and economic advancements that all workers now enjoy. For the 150 years since then, workers and their families have celebrated the holiday at picnics and parades.
What we owe workers who risked everything
Each year on April 28, the labor movement observes Workers Memorial Day to remember all those killed or injured on the job and to renew our fight for strong health and safety protections for all workers. But this is no ordinary year. Not in recent memory has safety on the job been so critically important. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vital it is to have safe workplaces.
The right way to legalize marijuana
As leaders of labor organizations representing working New Yorkers, we have seen firsthand how the ongoing pandemic has impacted their lives and the communities in which they live. We know all too well what is at stake, particularly in regard to the future of many of the services working families rely on in both good times and in bad.
New Kind of Labor Day Shifts Unions' Priorities
On Labor Day we recognize and honor the incredible achievements and many contributions of working people. This year, however, is like no other. Parades have been postponed and celebrations with family and friends will include masks and social distancing. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all the workers who sacrificed so much for the safety and well-being of others. We can still honor the hard work of working people by acknowledging where we have been this year and where we need to go.
Viewpoint: Honor front-line workers by securing their rights
Mario Cilento May 3, 2020Updated: May 3, 2020 4:25 p.m. New York has a legacy of leadership protecting workers. Yet several other states have acted to ensure that workers who are exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace receive the health care, wage replacement and death benefits they and their families deserve — while New York drags its feet. Workers exposed to COVID-19 at work are entitled to workers' compensation in New York state.
An urgent COVID-19 state budget fix: What frontline workers need from Albany now
By Mario Cilento New York Daily News | Mar 27, 2020 | 1:54 PM (Kathy Willens/AP) All employees in New York State who are covered by the workers’ compensation law are entitled to wage replacement and medical care if they are exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace. If that workplace exposure leads to death, those workers’ families are entitled to survivor benefits under the workers’ compensation law.
Commentary: Labor's next goal: to protect 'gig' economy workers
All working men and women should take pause to celebrate Labor Day. And now, there is one class of workers, left behind for a century, that can finally join the celebration. I'm talking about farmworkers who just last month won basic labor rights, including the right to organize a union, a mandatory day of rest and the right to overtime pay.
The protections gig workers deserve
Want change? Vote for it. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images) I have officially seen it all. Tuesday on this page, a union funded through the salaries and dues its members earn through collective bargaining and a quasi-labor organization argued against granting union organizing rights to working people.
Union-Haters Won't Get To Dance on Our Grave
Yes. The penalty of two days' pay for each day on strike is too severe, as are the sanctions against unions for leading walkouts, and lifting them would give workers a powerful weapon to make up for the ground they have lost over the years in bargaining. No. The Taylor Law also provides key protections, including the right to arbitration and a guarantee that the terms of an expired contract will continue until a new deal is reached.
Viewpoint: Protect performers from post-mortem exploitation
Peter Cushing's character, Grand Moff Tarkin, is key in the mega-hit "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," even though Cushing has been dead for more than two decades. The deceased actor's estate gave permission for his re-created likeness to be used in the film. Unfortunately, that may not always be the case.
Labor Day, stand up for what is right for working people
On Labor Day, as many workers take the day off to enjoy time with family and friends, it's important to remember it is a day to celebrate building the middle class. It's a day to recognize that the organized labor movement continues to be the single most important entity toward ensuring a better life for working men and women, both during their work years, as well as in retirement. It's a day to reflect on the contributions the labor movement has made to our country for all working people.
Protect workplace safety, don't weaken it: View
Working men and women all across the country and right here in New York State will take pause on April 28 — Workers Memorial Day — to remember our brothers and sisters who were injured or who lost their lives on the job. Across the United States, more than 4,800 workers were killed on the job in 2015, the most current data available. Here in New York State, we lost 236 workers on the job. Each one of those workers will be remembered at Workers Memorial Day observances.
N.Y.’s noble plan to buy American
"Buy American" has become the new buzz phrase across the country. But here in New York State, the labor movement has been buzzing about Buy American for several years. And now, we are closer than ever to enacting groundbreaking legislation to make it happen. Gov. Cuomo included a bold Buy American proposal in his executive budget; it would require all state entities to purchase products made in the United States for all contracts and procurement over $100,000.
Labor's victories help all New York workers: View
The Labor Movement achieved significant gains over the past year that will benefit not only unionized workers but all working people. Mario Cilento What a year it’s been. Working men and women all across this state are making their voices heard and seeing the results. The New York State AFL-CIO represents 2.5 million members and has 3,000 local affiliates. But our real strength comes from working together, standing together and speaking with one voice.
Safe worksites and good jobs are not 'special treatment'
Brad Gerstman’s op-ed, “What killed 421-a? Old-fashioned protectionism,” is an outright attack on working people under the guise of encouraging affordable housing and is disingenuous at best. Gerstman demonizes the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York by claiming it is willing to sacrifice affordable housing for special treatment. Gerstman doesn’t get it unless, if by special treatment, he means worker safety and solid, middle-class jobs.
Another Voice: Unions are the voice for middle-class workers
The first Monday of September is a day marked by parades, barbecues, speeches and time spent with family, friends and co-workers. It is a day to honor all the hardworking, dedicated men and women who make up the American workforce. Labor Day is also a time to reflect on the struggles of workers, the progress made and the goals yet to be achieved. Labor’s call for better wages, improved working conditions and a brighter future resonates with most, but not all.
A bitter birthday for the Verrazano
On Nov. 21, 1964 — 50 years ago today — the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened. It was the world’s largest suspension bridge and an engineering marvel that was only fitting for the greatest city, state and country in the world. In Brooklyn and Staten Island, there will be commemorations to mark the bridge’s golden anniversary, but perhaps the biggest celebration should be about 7,000 miles away, in China.
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