Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks at a Healthcare Event

Earlier today, Governor Hochul delivered remarks at the 1199 SEIU signing agreement with the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of New York.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

1199 - oh, I can hear the roar and I can feel the energy in this room and that's what it feels like to be winners. Kind of feels like a room full of New York Knicks, right? There we go, there we go. Well, we've had a lot of wins lately and this one is so deeply personal to me and so important. It wasn't that long ago I was right here with you as you're heading into the negotiations, and there's a lot of uncertainty and concern and how long will this go and what's it going to take? And so I just want to come here in person and tell you I was with you, not just in spirit but physically with all of you. And now to be here at the culmination of this process, I could not be prouder and let you know that I will always have your back. But just think about the long days, the late nights, the phone calls, the back and forth, the give and take - and also just fighting up for which the members of this incredible union need. I want to thank Yvonne Armstrong for her extraordinary, extraordinary, extraordinary leadership.

Some say she's a little newer on the job, but she knows this is in her heart. She's worked for so many years, and I also want to thank Dr. Philipp Ozuah for his leadership of the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of New York City. I want to thank him very much, let's give Dr. Ozuah a round of applause. Ken Raske is here, but let's talk about what you just got. All this effort paid off, four percent increase in wages each for the next three years. I think that's a big win, do you think that's a big win? One thousand dollars bonus, you think that's a win? I think that's a win. Guaranteed pension, I think that's a win. Investments in childcare, think that's a win. And protections for your health care and your leave benefits. Think that's a win? Well, I do too, so congratulations. And because of your hard work, 86,000 workers at 90 locations will sleep better at night knowing that their work is respected.

It needs to be respected that they know they're being paid a fair wage, knowing that their families will have the protections that they need and deserve. So this is a huge victory. I want to make sure you know how proud I am to be associated with this powerhouse of a union. The nurses, the pharmacists, the techs, the social workers, the home health grids who are the heroes of our health care system. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being willing to serve the people of our community. Just a few weeks ago, I joined you to rally together after that Supreme Court decision that effectively ended the temporary protected status program that covered so many of our workers, including many Haitians. We stood together in solidarity, we knew it would have a huge impact on so many of our 1199 members, and I was moved to see that a $2 million fund was established - so the workers who had their lives impacted could have the protections they need. Thank you for doing that for the people of our city.

Now, I've been waging my own fight on behalf of our immigrant community, and the federal administration is so dead set on demonizing the people who are making our health care system run, and it has to stop. Enough is enough. And I know being part of a union feels like I've got union blood running through my veins. I truly do, that's why I can handle this job and I can handle anything, right? Right, men and women of union and the women in particular. Let's give a shout out to the women who know what it's like. We know how tough you have to be in these jobs, I know a little something about that as well. But my family of immigrants came over in great, great poverty, and had nothing when they got here. They were told there's no jobs for people like my grandparents. But when grandpa was able to get a union card and be part of a union family, he could lift his family out of poverty and set my family on a path to where I am today. So I'll always be grateful to the union movement for standing up for ordinary New Yorkers and Americans and give them the opportunities that they deserve.

So when the Trump administration tries to tear away our health care and drive up premiums to line their own pockets and build these ballrooms down in Washington at a time when people are struggling to pay their rent, we know who we're up against here. They want to divide us based on the color of our skin, the places we come from, who we love and worship, and our political persuasion. But let me tell you this, and this is a message right from here to Washington: We will not be divided because we're New Yorkers and we stick together. We have each other's backs, we don't abandon the sick - we take care of them. We don't pink slip our health care workers, we give them bonuses, and our health care workers are on the front lines during the pandemic. We say we will never, ever, ever forget those sacrifices. And that's why we fought hard for a state budget that delivers millions of dollars and also to protect our safety net hospitals and our nursing homes, because they must survive and thrive.

And I'll work with 1199 to increase your ranks, to train new people and welcome them to this noblest of professions, the caregiving profession that demands so much of every one of you and your members and yet you answer that call. That is part of my Catholic upbringing. I was raised with a sense that we must do more for others, especially those who have less than us. When you see someone who is sick and in need of your care and your love and your compassion, you are doing God's work here on earth and I am thankful for that, I am thankful.

So let's conclude on this because I know I'm standing between you and an open bar. Is that correct? Okay, I better get out of here right now as I think about it. But knowing that standing together, change is possible - change is possible. You changed the outcome for thousands, tens of thousands of your coworkers with the work that went into this agreement - you've changed their lives. I want to continue changing the lives of all New Yorkers and giving them better health outcomes. And together, we're going to change the lives of all Americans with the November election and we'll talk about that later.

But we can do this. Are you with me? Let's do this together. Thank you 1199, thank you everyone. God bless you.