More than 150 union members – including 30 TWU Local 100 members –filled the steps of New York City Hall on June 17.
 
The rally and press conference was held to protest Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño's plan to lay off more than 30,000 government employees and suspend public-sector collective bargaining rights. Nearly 8,000 public-sector workers have already been laid off in Puerto Rico.
 
The layoffs come on top of a law passed by the Puerto Rico legislature on June 8 that freezes government employees’ wages and tears up their union contracts.
 
Spearheaded by the New York City Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the rally was supported by the New York City Central Labor Council. In addition to the Local 100 contingent, the event was attended by United Auto Workers District 9A, AFSCME District Councils 37 and 1707, Professional Staff Congress, Laborers International Union Local 79, Teamsters Local 237, 1199SEIU, Public Employees Federation and CSEA.
 
Local 100 Vice President Nelson Rivera was one of the union leaders who spoke in opposition to the man-made disaster that is hitting unions in Puerto Rico. “We need to send the Governor of Puerto Rico a message: We are not going to let the government Puerto Rico balance the budget on the backs of the working class,” Rivera said.
 
The pro-union crowd was joined by a dozen members of the City Council, including Gale Brewer, Leroy Comrie, Robert Jackson, John C. Liu, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Rosie Mendez, Annabel Palma and David I. Weprin. A City Council resolution condemning the Puerto Rican government’s attack on unions has attracted 17 sponsors.