Mayor Mamdani Launches First-in-the-Nation Office of Worker Power to Support Labor Organizing

Labor organizer Tony Perlstein named executive director of office dedicated to supporting worker organizing 

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani signed an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Office of Worker Power (MOWP), the first office of its kind in the nation, to use the resources and convening power of City Hall to help workers get informed, connected and organized.

MOWP will work across City Hall and City agencies on outreach, education, policy, research and strategic partnerships focused on workers who lack meaningful benefits, adequate wages and a voice on the job. The office will be led by its inaugural Executive Director, Tony Perlstein – a former longshoreman and UAW organizing director.

At a time when the average CEO of the 100 largest, lowest-paying corporations in the nation earned 614 times their average worker last year, and real median incomes are stagnating for working New Yorkers, the need for workers to come together and build power has never been greater. The office will help workers to shape City policy and strengthen the City’s ability to identify and address violations of workers’ rights.

“Every day, working New Yorkers show up, do their jobs, and keep this city running. Too often, they have no say in the conditions they work under,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The Mayor’s Office of Worker Power will make sure workers have a seat at the table before exploitation becomes a crisis and violations become routine. We’re connecting workers to their rights, to each other and to the organizations ready to stand with them. Because when workers have power, this city works better for everyone.”

“This office allows us to get ahead of exploitation instead of simply responding to it,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “By building relationships with workers, unions and worker centers, we can understand what is happening on the ground and act before problems become crises. That is how we build an economy that delivers for working people.”

MOWP will be supervised by the Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice (DMEJ) and will draw on the convening power of City Hall, DMEJ’s policy and enforcement portfolio, partner agencies and the expertise of worker organizations to help workers build power across New York City. 

MOWP will:

• Convene rank-and-file workers, union leaders, worker centers, immigrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.
• Hold public hearings on significant worker issues.
• Provide referrals to organizations that support workers.
• Coordinate with City agencies to produce research on pressing issues facing workers.
• Develop policy proposals informed by workers’ experiences.
• Engage workers on emerging challenges, including new technologies, worker misclassification, immigration-based exploitation and climate risks to worker safety.
• Connect workers with information about their rights at everyday touchpoints, including workforce centers, libraries, IDNYC offices, schools and community events.

The office builds on the Mamdani administration’s record of strengthening worker protections. The administration’s crackdown on deceptive tipping practices has delivered an estimated $104 million in additional tips to the city’s roughly 70,000 app-based delivery workers since January, with workers on pace to earn approximately $2,287 more annually. Mayor Mamdani opened the nation’s first ‘Deliveristas’ Hub’ outside City Hall Park, offering a space for respite for delivery workers across the city.

The Mayor recently announced a partnership between the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and D.A. Bragg’s office to crack down on wage theft and other violations. In June, Mayor Mamdani signed an Executive Order protecting the 1.4 million New Yorkers who work outdoors from extreme heat. The Mamdani administration also recently came out in support of the Delivery Protection Act, a measure aimed at regulating the expansion of last-mile delivery centers to protect residents and workers.

Tony Perlstein brings decades of experience as a union and community organizer and a lifelong commitment to working people, community empowerment and public service. Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, Perlstein most recently served as a director in the organizing department of the United Auto Workers (UAW), having previously served as the union’s national co-director of education.

As a former longshore worker in the port of New York and New Jersey, Perlstein was elected Secretary-Treasurer of his local union and helped lead a successful national effort to raise wages and ensure new technology did not undermine workers’ standard of living. Before becoming a longshoreman, he organized New York City restaurant, warehouse, lumberyard and other industrial workers to advocate for better working conditions. 

Biden-Appointed Activist Judge in California Releases MS-13 Gang Member Wanted for Murder in El Salvador

 

This is the second time sanctuary California has released this dangerous criminal illegal alien back into its neighborhoods 

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement in response to activist federal Judge Jinsook Ohta releasing criminal illegal alien David Antonio Aviles Perez, a MS-13 gang member wanted for murder in El Salvador, from ICE custody in sanctuary California.  

“This radical activist judge has put American lives at risk by releasing a wanted murderer,” said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “This is now the SECOND time this dangerous illegal has been released back onto the streets in California. Because sanctuary politicians want to play politics from the bench, innocent Americans are in danger. DHS and ICE will not be deterred by these partisan games. If California’s leaders won’t protect Americans, DHS will.” 

On March 26, ICE arrested David Antonio Aviles Perez, who has an international warrant for aggravated murder in El Salvador. His criminal history also includes an arrest in 2023 in California for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and petty theft. California’s sanctuary politicians RELEASED this gang member back into California neighborhoods. 

According to reports,  Aviles Perez had been held in federal custody pending his removal from the U.S. until Judge Ohta released him last Wednesday from a southern California ICE detention facility.  

According to reports, Governor Newsom appointed Judge Ohta to the San Diego County Superior Court in 2020. She was appointed to the federal bench in the Southern District of California by then-President Joe Biden in 2021. 

Aviles Perez entered the country at an unknown date and location. 

Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

 

Two Florida men were sentenced to multiple years in prison for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them.

“These fraudsters billed Medicare $34.8 million for braces that patients didn’t need and didn’t request — and now they’re paying the price,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “They paid kickbacks for fake doctors’ orders, shuffled billing among several companies to dodge payment suspensions, and pocketed millions that belonged to American taxpayers. Their prison sentences make clear: if you steal from Medicare, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.”

“Medicare is not a blank check for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants built a $34.8 million scheme around medically unnecessary braces, fraudulent doctors’ orders, and illegal kickbacks, all to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. This sentences reinforce a simple message: if you steal from our health care programs, we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.”

According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler III, 43, of Miami, Florida, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, Florida, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Through these DME companies, they submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.

Kessler and Gomez also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain fraudulent signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces, and then claimed payment for those braces from Medicare. Kessler and Gomez used their multiple DME companies to evade Medicare payment suspensions by shifting their fraudulent billing between their DME companies.

Kessler profited more than $1.4 million, and Gomez profited more than $2.3 million from the fraudulent scheme.

Kessler was sentenced to 33 months of in prison, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of in prison.

In May 2026, Kessler and Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer Hylton and Owen Dunn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

On Labor Day, Governor Hochul Highlights Labor and Workforce Accomplishments to Make New York More Affordable and Enhance Worker Protections

 

Major Accomplishments Include Enhanced Worker Protections, Increased Tier 6 Benefits, Improved Workers’ Compensation System, and Expanded Access to Free Community College for Adult Learners

17 State Landmarks To Be Illuminated Red, White and Blue Across New York State in Honor of Labor Day

In celebration of Labor Day, Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted key achievements in New York State's mission to support and empower its workforce and protect working New Yorkers. Governor Hochul has worked hard to ensure New York State is a safe, affordable place to live, work, and raise a family. This year, she has successfully strengthened worker protections, enhanced Tier 6 retirement benefits, signed legislation to improve the workers’ compensation system, and expanded access to free community college for adult learners in high-growth industries. Additionally, the Governor continues to lead aggressive efforts to combat wage theft and guarantee safe working conditions, delivering on her promise to champion New York's labor force.

“Since day one, my administration has stood shoulder to shoulder with New York’s workers,” Governor Hochul said. “We have raised the minimum wage, strengthened prevailing wage, cracked down on wage theft, expanded workforce protections, created new pathways to good-paying jobs through workforce training and free community college for adult learners in high-demand fields. This Labor Day, I am proud to celebrate our labor movement as we continue to fight for the people who make New York State stronger, safer and keep us moving forward every day.”

As a steadfast ally of organized labor, Governor Hochul remains deeply committed to supporting New York's workforce. Building on the historic achievements of previous years, the Governor has advanced key initiatives to support, protect, and train workers across the state, including:

Strengthening Worker Protections

• Fighting Wage Theft: Under Governor Hochul, NYSDOL can now issue warrants and seize financial assets to enforce unpaid wage theft orders following a judgment. In 2025, NYSDOL recovered more than $35 million in lost wages and collected $2.2 million in penalties from wage theft-related cases, the highest annual amount recovered since 2015. Since Governor Hochul took office in 2021, NYSDOL has recovered more than $145 million for more than 130,000 workers.
• Prevailing Wage: In 2024, NYSDOL established New York State’s new Public Work Contractor and Subcontractor Registry. To date, 14,579 certificates of registration have been issued. Additionally, as of this year, contractors and subcontractors working on prevailing wage projects in New York State are now required to submit certified payroll records electronically. These requirements help ensure that workers are paid appropriate wages for the work they are performing. NYSDOL’s website now offers a demo video, updated FAQs, and more to help encourage compliance with both the registry and payroll submissions.
• Worker Safety Laws Anniversary: This year marked the first anniversary of three worker safety laws that went into effect in 2025: the Retail Worker Safety Act, the Fashion Workers Act, and the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Program. Over the past year, NYSDOL has undertaken extensive proactive outreach efforts, visiting hundreds of retail locations, and engaging with employers and employees to ensure compliance with these enhanced protections for workers statewide.
  • The Retail Worker Safety Act requires retail employers with 10 or more workers statewide to implement interactive training programs about workplace violence, including threats of physical violence, abuse, harassment, and intimidation. Businesses covered by this act with 500 or more employees statewide must provide employees with access to a silent response button by January 1, 2027.
  • The Fashion Workers Act ensures transparency and fair treatment for models and other fashion workers by requiring model management companies and model management groups to comply with additional duties and responsibilities, as well as register with NYSDOL. Since the law was enacted, 79 companies have registered.
  • The Warehouse Injury Reduction Program requires employers covered by the previously enacted Warehouse Worker Protection Act to establish and implement an injury reduction program to identify and reduce the risk of work-related injuries.

Improving Wages and Benefits

• Narrowing the Gender Wage Gap: Under Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State has taken nation-leading steps to close the gender wage gap and create a more equitable labor market, including raising the minimum wage, mandating paid prenatal leave, and this year, prioritizing universal child care for all children under five years old. New York State now has the smallest gender wage gap in the nation—91.4 cents per dollar in 2024, compared to 87.3 cents per dollar in 2023. For more information, visit NYSDOL’s annual Gender Wage Gap Report.
• Expanding the Healthy Terminals Act: In January, the expanded Healthy Terminals Act took effect, extending the Act’s wage rates and health and leave benefits to part-time workers at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International and LaGuardia airports. The expanded law includes an exemption for small employers with 10 or fewer employees.
• Working Families Hub: This year, NYSDOL launched its Services for Working Families hub, a user-friendly, online site to help families navigate available services for varying stages of life and work. The webpage centralizes resources on New York State policies and benefits, including helpful links to various New York State agency services concerning paid leave and benefits, child care resources, and resources for youth entering the workforce.
• Workers’ Compensation Enhancements: Governor Hochul’s FY 2027 Budget made changes to workers’ compensation to fight fraud and improve access to medical care. Beginning in 2027, the Workers’ Compensation Board will administer a new grant-funded program allowing District Attorney offices to dedicate additional resources for prosecuting workers’ compensation fraud. Additionally, starting January 2028, all eligible licensed providers in good standing will be able to treat New York’s injured workers, significantly increasing injured workers’ access to health care.
• Tier 6 Reforms: This year’s budget also included reforms to Tier 6, including:
  • Lower retirement ages for educators;
  • Reduced contribution rates and increased overtime caps for state and local workers, including members of the police and fire departments outside of New York City; and
  • Reduced employee contribution rates for UUP and PSC-CUNY members in the Optional Retirement Plan.
• Expanding Opportunities for Employment and Training
  • Registered apprenticeships have expanded to high-demand industries, including health care, information technology, finance, childcare, education, transportation, and advanced manufacturing.
    • As of June 30, 2026, NYSDOL supported almost 18,000 apprentices, more than 600 sponsors, more than 900 programs, and granted more than 1,300 certificates for program completion so far this year.
      • Under Governor Hochul’s administration, the state launched the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NY HELPS) Program, which temporarily waives state civil service exam requirements for many job vacancies. More than 64,000 appointments have been made to state and local government as part of the NY HELPS program.
      • The Department of Civil Service is opening new Computer-Based Testing Centers in regions around the state. Additionally, the state created 10 Centers for Careers in Government, offering jobseekers guidance on civil service systems and career opportunities.
      • The Department of Civil Service is developing a new applicant management system for hiring for jobs available to the public, which will bolster and accelerate hiring practices toward matching the most qualified candidates with open positions quickly and equitably.
      • Civil Service ran successful multi-media campaigns over the past two years promoting the wide-ranging career opportunities available in New York State public service, as well as partnered with New York’s first Chief Disability Officer to deliver a campaign that highlighted opportunities for New Yorkers with disabilities.
      • The state updated qualifications for approximately 800 entry- and promotion-level civil service titles to allow for consideration of equivalent experience as an alternative to college degrees when evaluating jobseekers.

1. National Apprenticeship Week: New York State is a national leader in providing pathways to success in exciting new careers. Governor Hochul is committed to supporting proven workforce development initiatives, like registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs.

2. Providing Free Community College for Adult Learners in High-Demand Fields: Governor Hochul’s FY 2026 Budget established free community college for adult learners through the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program. Community colleges at SUNY and CUNY cover tuition, fees, books, and supplies for adult students ages 25 to 55 with no degree who are pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, technology, nursing and education. In this year’s budget, the Governor has expanded the list of high-demand fields to include logistics, air traffic control, and to students with prior degrees pursuing a nursing degree. The program is also expanding to Associate Programs at eight SUNY College and at three CUNY Colleges in addition to Community Colleges statewide. More than 12,000 New Yorkers have already enrolled in the program.

3. Modernizing and Digitizing Working Papers: Last year, Governor Hochul signed legislation to modernize the youth employment certification process. Under the Governor’s direction, NYSDOL is working hard to create a convenient one-stop online portal that simplifies the process for young workers, their parents and guardians, school districts, and businesses employing minors. The new system is set to launch next year.

4. Implementing several initiatives to strengthen New York's public workforce. Among those are:

Governor Kathy Hochul also announced that 17 landmarks across New York State will be illuminated red, white, and blue in honor of Labor Day. The landmarks to be lit in recognition of Labor Day include:

1. One World Trade Center
2. Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
3. Kosciuszko Bridge
4. The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
5. State Education Building
6. Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
7. Empire State Plaza
8. State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
9. Niagara Falls
10. The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
11. Grand Central Terminal - Pershing Square Viaduct
12. Albany International Airport Gateway
13. Lake Placid Olympic Center
14. MTA LIRR - East End Gateway at Penn Station
15. Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
16. Moynihan Train Hall
17. Roosevelt Island Lighthouse

Permits Filed for 2322 Holland Avenue in Allerton, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 2322 Holland Avenue in Allerton, The Bronx. Located between Waring Avenue and Astor Avenue, the lot is near the Pelham Parkway subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Gjovan Rroku of New Line Builders is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 54-foot-tall development will yield 15,717 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 28 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 561 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and a 43-foot-long rear yard.

Fred Geremia Architects & Planners is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed last month for the two-story structure on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with Pinnacle, One of America’s Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination Claims

 

Decree Would Prohibit Algorithmic Coordination and Exchanging Competitively Sensitive Data with Competitors

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree to resolve the United States’ claims against Pinnacle Property Management Services LLC, as part of its ongoing enforcement action in the Middle District of North Carolina against algorithmic coordination, the use of competitors’ competitively sensitive data, and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country that artificially increase housing costs for the American people. This proposed decree builds on the Justice Department’s success in obtaining settlements in the same enforcement action against RealPage Inc. and four other large landlords, Cortland Management LLC, Greystar Management Services LLC, LivCor LLC, and Willow Bridge Property Company LLC.

“This administration will not tolerate illegal actions by corporate landlords that inflate housing prices for Americans,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department of Justice will fight for every American who is being taken advantage of by corporate greed.”

“The Antitrust Division is diligent in our work of protecting consumers in housing markets, including by putting an end to practices by corporate landlords that illegally prevent honest competition that benefits renters,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This consent decree is an important step in achieving affordable housing for Americans.”

The United States, along with state co-plaintiffs, filed a complaint on Jan. 7, 2025, alleging that Pinnacle, with five other co-defendant landlords, actively participated in a scheme to set their rents using each other’s competitively sensitive information through pricing algorithms. Pinnacle and other landlords shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned pricing. Pinnacle and other landlords also conferred on competitively sensitive topics, such as pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software.

If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require Pinnacle to:

• Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features;
• Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors;
• Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree;
• Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and
• Cooperate with the United States’ claims against other defendants.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.

Pinnacle is a residential property manager headquartered in Frisco, Texas.

Brandon Levy And Jacob Stavsky Acquire Development Site In Bronx For $1.2M From Sinchi Family

 

The development site located at 840 Freeman Street in the Bronx was sold for $1,200,000. The asset encompasses a total of 2,700 square feet, resulting in a price per square foot of $444.

Summary of transaction details:

• Property Type: Development Site
• Transaction Amount: $1,200,000
• Square Footage: 2,700
• Price Per Square Foot: $444
• Buyer(s): Brandon Levy & Jacob Stavsky
• Seller: Sinchi Family
• Date of Transaction: 08/28/2026

The transaction was represented by the buyer's broker, whose details were not included in the context provided. The sale involved local stakeholders engaged in the real estate market in the Bronx area.

This week's Talking Politics an Interview with 86th Assembly District Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia

 

This week on Talking Politics, Anthony is off again, I begin with my guest Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia, 86th Assembly District where we talk about what is going on in the 86th A.D., after the interview I go into the news about President Trump and Iran, the AG James whistleblower, Mayor Mamdani paying influencers to put out good news about him, the NYPD's latest crime stats, what it means to the Bronx and especially the Bronx North Division, and what was Community Board 11 Chair Cynthia Rodriguez up to at the Thursday September 3rd CB 11 Education Committee meeting, and more anytime on YouTube at the link below. 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek7MwGrgwRA)

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Talking Politics