Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Bryan Fotino, Tenant Organizer at Catholic Migration Services
9:49:30
ยท
130 sec
Bryan Fotino, a tenant organizer at Catholic Migration Services and member of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys, testified about the importance of legal services in public safety and the need for increased funding. He shared his experiences organizing tenants in Queens and highlighted the challenges faced by legal services workers due to underfunding.
- Fotino emphasized the role of legal services in improving living conditions for tenants through organizing and legal action.
- He discussed the potential for a sector-wide strike by ALAA members if fair compensation and realistic work conditions are not met.
- Fotino called for a significant increase in funding for legal services, including a 50% increase in stabilizing NYC funding and a 35% increase in housing preservation initiative funding.
Bryan Fotino
9:49:30
Hi.
9:49:30
My name is Brian Fotino.
9:49:32
I'm a tenant organizer at Catholic Migration Services and a proud member of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys.
9:49:40
Today, we heard a lot about police and prisons, but I wanna talk about what public safety means to me.
9:49:47
At CMS, I've organized buildings across Queens, bridging connections among English, Spanish, and Bongo speaking tenants to demand better living conditions.
9:49:56
In one campaign, I recognized tenants in Jackson Heights to sue their landlord in housing court.
9:50:01
Through a combination of legal action, rallies, and media coverage, we pressured the landlord to make long overdue repairs.
9:50:09
One tenant previously living with mold in a shower and a broken window now has a safe home and the confidence to continue advocating alongside his neighbors.
9:50:19
While AIA members are an essential labor force, decades of underfunding have led to untenable working conditions.
9:50:28
I wanna keep doing this work, but it's incredibly difficult to get by my salary, especially after paying taxes, rent, groceries, laundry, utilities, medical bills, and student loans.
9:50:39
And for our office assistants and those supporting children or caring for elders, it's even harder.
9:50:45
However, ALAA has aligned the collective bargaining agreements of over 2,000 of our union members to expire on 06/30/2025 for a potential sector wide strike.
9:50:56
If management will not meet our demands for fair compensation and realistic work modes, our members are prepared to walk off the job.
9:51:03
A strike will paralyze courts across New York City, which depend on our members showing up each day.
9:51:09
In order to settle fair contracts for our members, we are asking the city council to fully fund legal services, including at least a 50% increase in stabilizing NYC funding and at least a 35% increase in housing preservation initiative funding.
9:51:25
This will allow our employers to meet our core demands, establishing a living wage floor of 70 k for all legal services workers.
Darren Mack
9:51:32
Thank you.
9:51:33
The time's expired.
Bryan Fotino
9:51:34
Guaranteeing an annual minimum 4.5% COLA for all legal services workers.