NYCETC applauds the Council’s leadership, particularly the establishment of a new, dedicated Committee on Workforce Development. The Coalition has championed this kind of elevation for years as part of its broader effort to ensure workforce development is treated as a core city priority—essential to advancing economic mobility, employer growth, and shared prosperity across the five boroughs.
“This moment reflects years of hard-fought advocacy,” said Gregory J Morris, CEO of NYCETC. “NYCETC has been one of the loudest voices calling for workforce development to be treated as a core city priority. By creating a dedicated committee, the Council is filling a critical gap and acknowledging what we’ve long known: workforce policy is economic strategy. This is an encouraging step forward and a necessary foundation for aligning public investment with real pathways to good jobs and economic mobility for New Yorkers.”
Workforce development has historically been fragmented across committees and agencies, limiting oversight, diluting accountability, and weakening the link between economic development and real job outcomes for New Yorkers. Creating a standalone Workforce Development Committee establishes a clear center of gravity for policy leadership, budget scrutiny, and measurable results—elevating workforce development from a collection of programs to a core economic strategy.
For the first time, workforce development will have a standing home within the City Council, enabling sustained oversight of how public investments translate into job access, wage growth, and economic mobility citywide.
Committee on Workforce Development
- Committee Chair: Julie Won
- Committee Members: Tiffany Cabán, Harvey Epstein, Shahana Hanif, Phil Wong
From the City Council Press Release: “I’m honored to serve as the inaugural Chair of Workforce Development at a time when automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping our economy. As Chair, my priority is creating clear, equitable pathways to good-paying jobs, ensuring that New Yorkers can afford to stay in our city,” said Council Member Julie Won. “This requires partnership with labor unions, apprenticeship programs, CUNY, NYCHA, and workforce centers to direct city investments and expand job access. We must also support worker-owned cooperative models, such as the Community Interpreter Bank, to put job ownership into workers’ hands, supporting the local economy. Our advocacy in the city budget will ensure that workforce development centers dignity, longevity, and lasting opportunity for all New Yorkers.”
Council Leadership & Key Committees
NYCETC recognizes the importance of the broader Council leadership team announced yesterday. Strong alignment among Council leadership and the key committees identified below will be essential to ensuring that workforce priorities are fully integrated across the affordability, human services, education, and economic growth agendas.
- Speaker of the City Council: Julie Menin
- Deputy Speaker: Dr. Nantasha Williams
- Majority Leader: Shaun Abreu
- Committee on Civil Service and Labor Chair: Shirley Aldebol
- Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection Chair: Harvey Epstein
- Committee on Contracts Chair: Lincoln Restler
- Committee on Economic Development Chair: Virginia Maloney
- Committee on Finance Chair: Linda Lee
- Committee on General Welfare Chair: Crystal Hudson
- Committee on Higher Education Chair: Rita Joseph
- Committee on Land Use Chair: Kevin Riley
- Committee on Small Business Chair: Shanel Thomas-Henry
- Committee on Technology Chair: Carmen De La Rosa
- Committee on Children and Youth Chair: Althea Stevens
Full committee lists are in the NYC Council Committee Report.
NYCETC looks forward to partnering with Speaker Menin, Council leadership, and committee chairs to operationalize this moment—bringing data, provider and employer insight, and neighborhood-level experience to support a workforce system that delivers good jobs, real pathways, and measurable results.
This is a clear signal: workforce development is no longer peripheral to New York City’s agenda—it is central. Affordability is workforce policy.