ALBANY, N.Y. June 1, 2020 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta released the following statement today regarding the killing of George Floyd and protests that have followed in communities across New York and around the nation:
“Our hearts are broken by the killing of George Floyd. Communities throughout New York and across the country are experiencing severe pain, anger and anguish. Addressing racial and economic inequities, which were already laid bare by the coronavirus pandemic, has taken on new urgency. Organized labor lives by the motto, ‘An injury to one is an injury to all,’ and right now, there are far too many injuries for any of us to be silent. Together we must consistently tear down prejudices that facilitate such acts and dismantle the structures that allow inequality to remain a fixture in our society.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.