FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 2026
Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259
RWDSU ENDORSES KATHY HOCHUL FOR RE-ELECTION AS GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
(NEW YORK, NY) – Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced its endorsement of Governor Kathy Hochul for re-election. The endorsement underscores the Governor’s proven record of delivering for New York’s working people, including her landmark signature on the union’s Retail Worker Safety Act and her commitment to raising the minimum wage. Throughout her time in Albany, she has consistently demonstrated that she understands the needs of RWDSU members, including retail, grocery, cannabis, and warehouse workers across the state.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) issued the following statement on the endorsement:
“When our retail members were facing a crisis of violence in the workplace, Governor Hochul didn't just listen – she took action by signing our Retail Worker Safety Act into law. From indexing the minimum wage to inflation to strengthening protections for striking workers, she has consistently prioritized the dignity and safety of working people across New York State. We are proud to endorse her for re-election so she can continue this vital work.”
Governor Hochul’s first term was marked by significant legislative wins with RWDSU members, including:
Signing the Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA): A first-in-the-nation law requiring retail employers to implement violence prevention programs and silent response buttons.
Strengthening Wage Theft Enforcement: Providing the Department of Labor with new tools to crack down on unscrupulous employers who steal from their workers.
Increasing the Minimum Wage: Securing a historic agreement to raise the wage to $17 in New York City and Long Island by 2026, with future increases indexed to inflation.
Protecting Striking Workers: Signing legislation that reduced the waiting period for workers on strike to collect unemployment insurance.
“The RWDSU is the backbone of New York’s retail economy supply chain and more, and I am honored to have their support once again,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Together, we have made New York a national leader in worker safety and economic justice. Whether it’s ensuring our retail workers can go to work without fear or making sure a full-time job pays a living wage, we have proven that when labor and government work together, we all win. The RWDSU has led the charge on the front lines to ensure that modernization in the workplace never comes at the expense of human safety, dignity or respect. I look forward to continuing our fight for New York’s families – defending our warehouse workers, our grocery clerks, our retail professionals and more – to ensure that the next term is defined by even greater progress for the workers who move New York’s economy forward.”
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The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW, Twitter:@RWDSU, Instagram: @rwdsustrong.