The Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO is a Rock Tavern, New York-based labor union federation that serves as a local affiliate of the AFL-CIO (AFL-CIO).

In February 2021, the federation hosted a virtual event that featured participants who advocated for expelling police unions from the AFL-CIO and other labor federations. ¹

Overview

The Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation was founded in June 2001 as a part of the AFL-CIO’s New Alliance initiative. The federation consists of four Central Labor Councils and its leadership is elected by union members. ²

The federation is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO and works on state and local issues. It is active in seven upstate New York counties: Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster. ³

The federation sees itself as advocating for not just the traditional labor union causes, but a broader set of left-of-center policy issues. It supported the Black Lives Matter movement and opposed the privatization of nursing homes. It also championed the PRO Act—which would redefine many independent contractor “gig workers” as employees—on the national level. ⁴

In February 2021, as a part of a virtual event, the federation sponsored speakers including Terrance Melvin, the secretary-treasurer of New York State AFL-CIO and president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and William Fletcher, Jr., senior scholar with the left-wing Institute of Policy Studies. Melvin claimed the police were more concerned with protecting property than people and urged that the very notion of policing needed to be reexamined. Fletcher called for police unions to be expelled from the AFL-CIO and other labor union associations. ⁵

Leadership

Sparrow Tobin is the president. He is a member of American Federation of Teachers local 3008. ⁶

Sandra Oxford is the executive director. ⁷

Finances

According to the 2019 tax return, it had $174,105 in revenue and $128,001 in expenses. It had $129,512 in assets. ⁸

The major fundraising event the union puts on is the Labor Heroes event. It raised $24,955 in 2019. ⁹

1. “Importance Of Black Labor Discussed.” Mid Hudson News. February 6, 2021. https://midhudsonnews.com/2021/02/06/importance-of-black-labor-discussed/.
2. “About Us.” Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://hvalf.org/about-us.
3. “About Us.” Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://hvalf.org/about-us.
4. Schuetz, Annemarie. “Bitter Fruit: The Movement For Unions And Justice Fights On.” The River Reporter. August 31, 2021. https://riverreporter.com/stories/bitter-fruit,47618.
5. “Importance Of Black Labor Discussed.” Mid Hudson News. February 6, 2021. https://midhudsonnews.com/2021/02/06/importance-of-black-labor-discussed/.
6. About Us.” Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://hvalf.org/about-us.
7. Schuetz, Annemarie. “Bitter Fruit: The Movement For Unions And Justice Fights On.” The River Reporter. August 31, 2021. https://riverreporter.com/stories/bitter-fruit,47618.
8. Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990O), 2019. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/141/833/2019-141833532-202041339349201024-ZO.pdf?_gl=1*smxnss*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzNDUzMzg2MS4zOS4xLjE2MzQ1MzUwNzkuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzNDUzMzg2MS4zOS4xLjE2MzQ1MzUwNzkuMA.
9. Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990O), 2019. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2019/141/833/2019-141833532-202041339349201024-ZO.pdf?_gl=1*smxnss*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYzNDUzMzg2MS4zOS4xLjE2MzQ1MzUwNzkuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYzNDUzMzg2MS4zOS4xLjE2MzQ1MzUwNzkuMA.