2023 Labor Power Players

As president of Teamsters Local 831, the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, Harry Nespoli represents workers at the New York City Department of Sanitation, including those who collect trash, recycling, and organic waste. Members of Local 831 are also responsible for plowing New York City’s streets in the winter. Mr. Nespoli has continued to successfully grow Local 831’s numbers by securing strong contracts with the city and cultivating a sense of community among its members.

Thomas O’Donnell has served as president of Theatrical Teamsters since 2013. The members of Local 817 have worked in New York’s film and television industry for nearly 100 years, and are located across New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. Prior to his election, Mr. O’Donnell was secretary-treasurer of the union for 23 years. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Museum of the Moving Image as well as for the Council of Motion Picture and Television Unions.

Charlene Obernauer currently serves as executive director at NYCOSH. In this role, Ms. Obernauer oversees and develops NYCOSH’s campaigns and advocacy work. Ms. Obernauer co-founded the New York Healthy Nail Salons Coalition which successfully advocated for statewide legislation to combat wage theft and mitigate health and safety hazards in nail salons. Ms. Obernaur received her B.A. from Stony Brook University and her M.A. in liberal studies from the Graduate Center at CUNY.

Tony Paolillo currently serves as president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Flushing Branch 294. The National Association of Letter Carriers is the sole representative of city delivery letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service. Branch 294 represents postal workers throughout Queens. The National Association of Letter Carriers works to defend the rights of letter carriers and protect their interests.

Inspired by his father’s activism in SEIU healthcare locals, Manny has dedicated his life to labor. Recognized for his expertise at the bargaining table, he’s helped bring thousands of members into 32BJ. Leading research for “Justice for Janitors” in the 1990s, he’s since been integral to successfully organizing security officers and airport workers into 32BJ. As the new president, Manny is excited to expand the union’s fight into fast food, gig work, and hospital pricing.

What is one of your organization’s recent successes?
Last year, the union won a marquee contract for New York Residential workers, securing the highest pay raises in the history of 32BJ’s residential division. This includes a 12.6% increase over four years, plus a $3,000 bonus, and protection of all benefits. 32BJ also expanded organizing efforts into the South with the creation of the Florida District, adding over 5,000 new members including security officers, janitors, and airport workers.

What are the benefits that union membership (your union if applicable) provides?
Higher wages, employer-paid healthcare and benefits, and strong contracts that set industry standards are just the beginning of the union advantage. Membership in 32BJ, and unions across the country, empowers workers with collective might to redress grievances, demand dignity, and win family-sustaining jobs. And with unity of purpose, union members can flex political might to win beyond their workplaces, transform their communities, and expand democracy and fairness into the most unjust spheres of American life.

Michael B. Powers is currently serving his second term as president of the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, representing nearly 30,000 active and retired members. A veteran law enforcement official and public servant for over 30 years working in minimum, medium, and maximum security facilities, Mr. Powers currently serves as councilman for the City of Ogdensburg. Mr. Powers is also a long-time supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

What is one of your organization’s recent successes?
In direct response to the skyrocketing prison violence, our organization was able to successfully lobby the governor’s office and DOCCS to endorse several NYSCOPBA-led programs and proposals aimed at improving safety in New York’s prisons including a vendor package program, mail scanning and body scanners.

What are the benefits that union membership (your union if applicable) provides?
Union membership allows your individual voice to be amplified 10-fold to improve working conditions, wages, and benefits. Last year, 10,000 NYSCOPBA  members responded to an anonymous survey on current conditions, morale, and other pressing employee concerns and presented the results to the governor’s office and DOCCS. While the increased violence in facilities hasn’t wavered since the survey, the department has made significant efforts to increase communication with the frontline staff.

Mike Prohaska is business manager of the Mason Tenders District Council and Construction and General Building Laborers’ Local 79, the largest construction laborers’ local in the United States. Born and raised in the Bronx, Mike started as a rank-and-file laborer and has been a member of the Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) for over 40 years. Mike also serves as a trustee of the Mason Tenders Trust Funds and NY State Laborers Tri-Funds.

What is one of your organization’s recent successes?
Local 79 is proud to have successfully advocated for economic development projects that combine affordable housing, union careers and community hiring. Our members this year engaged their communities to pass landmark rezonings in the Bronx and Queens. We also worked with NYCHA tenant leaders to infuse billions of dollars for repairs through NYCHA’s Preservation Trust and PACT program, while reaching historic agreements for Local 79 members to work on some of NYC’s largest affordable projects.

What are the benefits that union membership (your union if applicable) provides?
Union careers are life-changing opportunities that break cycles of poverty and economic inequality. Collective bargaining empowers our union to negotiate fair contracts with family-sustaining wages, healthcare, retirement security, skills and safety training, legal services and recovery support programs. Union representation gives Local 79 members a voice on the job to speak out against unsafe practices and on behalf of their coworkers. Union membership means joining the labor movement to fight on behalf of all workers.

Jessica Ramos represents New York’s 13th District in the state senate, which includes the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, & part of Rego Park. Ramos chairs the senate committee on labor, where she’s fought to pass historic legislation to grant farm & domestic workers basic labor protections, tackle wage theft and worker safety, and secured $2.1B to create a fund for workers who have been excluded from pandemic-related relief. 

What are the benefits that union membership (your union if applicable) provides?
When you are a member of a union, you never have to face your boss alone. The protection of a collective bargaining agreement is the best defense against unsafe working conditions, pay discrimination, and wage theft.

Commissioner Roberta Reardon has led the NYS Department of Labor since 2015. Previously, Commissioner Reardon was president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. She was the founding co-president of SAG-AFTRA, when the Screen Actors Guild merged with AFTRA.  She taught in the Cornell/CUNY Labor Relations program. Awards include; Jewish Labor Committee’s Human Rights Award, NYC Central Labor Council’s Award for Service to the Labor Movement and Cornell ILR School, Union Leadership Institute’s Change Maker.

What is one of your organization’s recent successes?
As part of the Excluded Workers Fund, the NYS DOL just finished distributing more than $2 billion to 130,000 New Yorkers who did not qualify for traditional Unemployment Insurance or other pandemic relief benefits. The Excluded Workers Fund has provided critical relief to low-wage workers who performed vital services to keep New York running throughout the pandemic.

Donna Rey is the executive director of the 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds and the CEO of Funds Administration Operations. Dr. Rey brings decades of experience to these roles, including over 30 years of implementing organizational change and nearly 25 years as an executive at the Funds. Dr. Rey earned a B.S. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a M.S. from the W. Averell Harriman School for Management and Public Policy and a doctorate in education from Columbia University.