Health Care for All

Cuomo-Hochul: Democratic Leadership that Delivers Real Progressive Change



Governor Overruled Republican Opposition to Implement Universal Health Care in NYS, Providing High Quality, Low Cost Health Insurance to Over One Million New Yorkers



Union with Over 275,000 NYS Members Known For Strong Turnout Operation



New York, NY – 1199 SEIU today endorsed Governor Andrew Cuomo for Governor and former Congresswoman Kathy Hochul for Lieutenant Governor. In making the endorsement, the president of the largest union in the state noted Governor Cuomo’s leadership on addressing critical health care challenges facing New Yorkers – including the successful implementation of the NYS health care exchange and securing $8 billion in federal funding for struggling hospitals.



“Governor Andrew Cuomo and former Congressmember Kathy Hochul have been strong and effective leaders for quality healthcare, goods jobs and equality in New York State. Most recently, Governor Cuomo fought hard to secure the $8 billion Medicaid waiver which is being used to support healthcare facilities and caregivers during the transition to community-based care. He has helped lead our state through the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act, which is resulting in over a million newly insured residents and falling premium costs for New Yorkers.



“Governor Cuomo has also consistently stood up for low-paid homecare workers, lifting thousands of families out of poverty and helping to ensure quality care for seniors and people with disabilities. The Governor's core belief in fairness, human dignity and equal treatment under the law helped New York become a national leader in marriage equality.



“Like the Governor, Kathy Hochul has been a strong advocate for healthcare reform, marriage equality and good jobs, and has defended local communities and small businesses against overdevelopment.



“Both the Governor and Kathy Hochul have vowed to achieve even more policies, such as the Women's Equality Agenda, that will dramatically improve the lives of working New Yorkers in the future.



“The 275,000 healthcare workers of 1199 SEIU in New York are deeply grateful for these and many other major accomplishments, and we will be working passionately throughout all regions of our state to make sure Governor Cuomo and Kathy Hochul win with a strong majority in November.”-- George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU, the largest union in New York and the largest healthcare union in the nation



Governor Cuomo has restored New York’s rightful place as the progressive capital of the nation, showing that government can work and serve all New Yorkers:



Governor Cuomo bypassed Republican State Senate opposition to implement universal healthcare more effectively than nearly every other state in the nation. To date New York State’s health exchange has signed up over a million New Yorkers for high quality, low cost health insurance.Governor Cuomo secured an $8 billion federal waiver to support struggling hospitals in Brooklyn and other communities as well as increase access and improve the quality of healthcare for New Yorkers.Governor Cuomo enacted structural reform of Medicaid through an innovative Medicaid Redesign Team to improve patient care, while saving billions of dollars that can be reinvested into services for New Yorkers.

News Feed

  • URMHC Management Disrespectful Comment To Workers Continues As CEO & President Greg Hutton Sends Intimidating Email Threatening To Replace Specialized Caregivers Read More
  • Contract talks for nearly 4,000 unionized workers at 27 different nursing homes in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties Began Late February Read More
  • URMHC Management Disrespectful Comment To Workers Continues As CEO & President Greg Hutton Sends Intimidating Email Threatening To Replace Specialized Caregivers Read More
  • Largest Healthcare Union Calls for Immediate & Urgent Action to Protect Vulnerable New Yorkers & Their Caregivers Read More
  • URMHC VP of Human Resources Tells Workers: “Nothing in Life is Free” as Caregivers Plead for Affordable Health Coverage To Care For Their Families Read More
  • The caregivers of 1199SEIU celebrate the life and legacy of Hazel Dukes, a mentor and lifelong champion for working families, civil rights, quality healthcare, and democracy. Read More
  • This March, TicketsatWork is here to help you achieve your goals with a wide range of exclusive offers! Read More
  • Contract talks for union nursing home workers in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties Began Late February Read More
  • Caregivers Raise Concern Over Management’s Continued Stall Tactics and Demand that University of Rochester Decision Makers Join Contract Talks As CEO Greg Hutton Refuses To Face Workers At Bargaining Table Read More
  • Trump’s hateful display of lies and vitriol in his address to Congress last night reminds all of us of the immense and immediate harm his administration poses to working people, our jobs and the cost of living, our rights and our freedoms. Read More
  • The 3-year labor contract covering nearly 8,000 caregivers expires May 31st as workers demand improved staffing levels and added safety protections in the workplace as violence against healthcare workers on the rise across U.S. Read More
  • Years After the Passage of the 2021 Clinical Staffing Committee Law, Short Staffing Remains at Crisis Levels Across the State, Threatening Patient Care and Furthering the Workforce Shortage Read More
  • Twenty-three-year-old Karlie Cole is a new 1199SEIU member-leader at HCA Florida Northside Hospital in Saint Petersburg and a proud member of Generation Z. Read More
  • At North Shore Medical Center in North Miami, dozens of experienced and talented members of 1199SEIU are enjoying significant pay raises negotiated by union members and leaders even after the facility has transitioned to new ownership. Read More
  • More than two hundred 1199SEIU Florida delegates and leaders gathered at the 2024 Delegate Assembly for a celebration of their efforts and achievements on behalf of fellow union members and healthcare workers in the face of great challenges throughout the year. Read More
  • The budget resolution passed last night would enact a vast tax giveaway to billionaires, funded by ripping away up to $880 billion in Medicaid funding that millions of Americans rely on. Read More
  • We are not alone in the fight to protect Medicaid. Using our vast member strength and standing with our political and community allies, we can win it. Read More
  • Members join forces with activists and community allies to protect senior care. Read More
  • If we are to defend our rights and overcome the extremist Republicans in Washington D.C., working people will need to come together as one. Read More
  • More than 85,000 healthcare workers who make up the 1199SEIU membership in Massachusetts, praised lawmakers on December 31 for passing legislation that will improve oversight and regulation of the state’s healthcare system in response to the Steward Healthcare bankruptcy. Read More