rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/petition/1199-members-against-cuomo?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-petition-area-1199-members-against-cuomo' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> 1199 Members Against Cuomo https://actionnetwork.org/groups/1199-members-against-cuomo https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg We, the undersigned members of 1199SEIU-United Healthcare Workers East, call upon our newly-elected union leadership to rescind our union’s rushed and undemocratic endorsement of Andrew Cuomo for mayor of our city. As healthcare workers and New Yorkers, we need a mayor who will reduce the crushing cost of living, make our rents more affordable, defend the public healthcare funding we rely on, and protect our communities from Trump’s attacks. As governor, Cuomo used his power to defund healthcare, betray workers, and silence women—standing against every principle we hold dear as a union of caregivers. As a mayoral candidate, Cuomo is being funded by pro-Trump billionaires, real estate, and big business lobbyists—representing the same powerful interests making our city impossible to afford while taking away our rights, attacking unions, and planning cuts to critical programs like Medicaid in Washington, DC. It should come as no surprise that Cuomo has softened his stance on Trump and embraced his donors now that Cuomo is under investigation by the DOJ for lying to Congress about his handling of New York’s nursing homes during the pandemic, when he forced nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients and underreported deaths by as much as 83%. We may never know how many thousands of our residents and coworkers died as a result of Cuomo’s policy—he covered up the facts to preserve his image. Yet, in their last days in office, outgoing union leadership seized the moment to endorse Cuomo, a disgraced politician and longtime personal ally. To satisfy their wishes, former leadership cited rushed and misleading polling conducted in early 2025—before many of us were informed about the candidates. The poll, based largely on candidate name recognition, refrained from educating members on Cuomo’s record and platform, or helping members identify which candidates most align with our core policy concerns like housing, affordability, and protecting our city from Trump’s policies. We the members, not a small circle, should drive our union’s political endorsement process—particularly when our union has been under immense public scrutiny. Political decisions need no longer be made behind closed doors but, like other New York City-based unions, in public forums open to all members where we can participate, learn candidates’ platforms, and ask tough questions of those who seek our support. Finally, when our union's political power has been on the decline, endorsing a candidate whom we previously called on to resign is not the way to reverse course. Our newly-elected leaders—President Yvonne Armstrong and Secretary Treasurer Veronica Turner-Biggs—now have an opportunity to follow through on their bold vision for leadership by setting a new precedent for how our union conducts its political process, defined by integrity, transparency, and real member participation. Thus, we call upon our newly-elected 1199SEIU leaders and Executive Council to: Rescind our endorsement of Andrew Cuomo for mayor. Invite all Democratic mayoral candidates to a town hall open to all rank-and-file 1199SEIU members ahead of the June 24th Democratic primary: an opportunity to learn how candidates will uplift our priorities, strengthen our city, and support our union. Conduct a "policy-first" survey open to all NYC members ahead of a ranked-choice endorsement. An educational survey should help members learn how much each candidate’s platform aligns with their personal policy concerns, first. The survey should allow members to rank their candidates 1-5, and its results should be made publicly-available. Endorsements should be based on policy, not name recognition or personal favors. Note to signers: Once our petition reaches 500 signatures, we will publish our signatures! https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/1199-members-against-cuomo