The NYC Council Committees on Labor and Higher Education held a joint hearing last Thursday to focus on the Murphy Institute and the proposal to establish a new CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. At the hearing, union representatives and Murphy students sang the praises of the Institute.
An article in this week’s edition of the Chief describes the hearing, which concluded with “[CUNY] officials…discount[ing] proposals to establish a stand-alone labor-studies school in the near future, but…[saying]…they would continue to nurture the Murphy Institute.”
Labor representatives testifying and the hearing and/or joining the meeting with Speaker Viverito included: Arthur Cheliotes (President CWA 1180 and Chair, Murphy Labor Advisory Board); Anthony Wells (President, SSEU Local 371); Alethia Jones (Director of Education, – speaking on behalf of George Gresham, President of 1199 SEIU); David Cohen (speaking on behalf of Hector Figeuroa, President, 32BJ SEIU; Howard Styles (Director of Education, speaking on behalf of Kuba Brown, President, IUOE Local 94), June Benjamin (speaking on behalf of Julie Kushner Director UAW Region 9A), Marvin Holland (Political Director, speaking on behalf of John Samuelsen, President of TWU 100); Susan Chin (Assistant Director of Political Action and Legislation, speaking on behalf of Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37); Bertha Aitken (Director of Education, speaking on behalf of Gregory Floyd, President of Teamster Local 237);
Students/Alumni included: Bob Master (MA in Labor Studies); Raquel Barnes (MA in Urban Studies); Nadya Stevens (MA in Labor Studies); Krystina Francis (BA in Urban Studies); Adriana Cruz (MA in Labor Studies); Maria Lewis (BA in Urban Studies); Stacey Payton (MA in Labor Studies); Andres Puerta (Union Semester alumni).
