U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul for signing a law that he says undermines workers’ rights and violates federal law.
The new legislation in New York allows the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to take over worker claims that are under the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). According to Cassidy, this move conflicts with established federal authority and Supreme Court decisions regarding labor disputes.
“President Trump and Secretary Chavez-DeRemer are committed to delivering the most pro-worker administration in history. As Chairman of the HELP Committee, I’m proud to stand with President Trump to put American workers first,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It’s unacceptable that Kathy Hochul and liberal New York Democrats are violating the Constitution to undermine workers’ rights.”
Cassidy outlined his concerns in a letter addressed to Governor Hochul. He argued that expanding PERB’s jurisdiction creates confusion for workers about where they should file complaints or organize for better working conditions. He referenced Supreme Court cases such as San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garmon and Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations v. Gould, Inc., which affirm that states cannot regulate activities protected or prohibited by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
In his letter, Cassidy posed several questions about how New York intends to coordinate with federal authorities and communicate changes to workers. He also asked whether the state would reimburse costs incurred by workers who must refile claims with the NLRB after initially filing with PERB.
The senator requested answers from Governor Hochul by October 8, 2025.
