Yvonne Armstrong on standing up for labor and health care

What impact does organized labor have in New York policymaking?

In New York, organized labor isn’t just a voice at the table, we’re the force that shapes the agenda to uplift all working people. 1199SEIU members are the backbone of the state’s healthcare system, from hospitals to home care. When we organize, we win – whether it’s higher wages, stronger worker and patient protections, or defending essential services. At this moment, we’re confronting devastating cuts to Medicaid and healthcare funding that threaten frontline jobs and put patient care at risk, especially in low-income and immigrant communities. Policymakers must understand: When healthcare workers and our institutions are under attack, the entire safety net is at stake. We’re not just defending funding – we’re defending lives.

What’s on your agenda in 2025?

Our first priority is protecting what our communities rely on every day: care. That means fighting back against healthcare cuts and demanding that hospital, nursing home, homecare and community-based services receive the resources needed to protect the highest standards of quality care and good jobs for New Yorkers. But it also means standing up to the dangerous anti-immigrant rhetoric and federal attacks that endanger both our members and our patients. Many of our caregivers are immigrants themselves, and they care for some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers. We will not let them be scapegoated or silenced. In 2025, 1199 is standing up stronger than ever – for care, for justice and for the future of this state.

What’s different about your leadership approach?

I’m leading with openness, urgency and purpose. We’re hitting the ground running with a statewide listening tour because the best ideas come from the members closest to the work. And we’re making sure our union reflects the diversity of New York – linguistically, culturally and politically. To our partners in government and the grassroots: If you’re ready to fight for a more equitable, caring New York, 1199 is your ally. But we won’t sit back – we’re organizing, mobilizing and ready to lead.