Ex-SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon Confirmed for NY Labor Post

Former SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon has been confirmed as labor commissioner for the state of New York.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo selected Reardon for the post in September as his commissioner of labor, taking over for Mario Musolino. The State Senate confirmed Reardon on Wednesday.

“My highest priorities as Commissioner will be to continue the great work and momentum of the Governor, the Department of Labor, and the Legislature,” Reardon said. “Governor Cuomo’s nomination and the Senate’s confirmation have both humbled me and given me great hope for the future.”

Reardon will oversee the Department of Labor’s more than 3,300 employees.

Reardon also served as special liaison for common sense economics at AFL-CIO. She was the national president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for five years and became SAG-AFTRA co-president with the late Ken Howard in 2012 when the unions merged.

Reardon was an active supporter of merging SAG and AFTRA throughout her time as an AFTRA officer. She became AFTRA’s final president in 2007 when she was selected to fill the unexpired term of John Connolly, who resigned to lead Actors Equity.

She is also a member on the board of the Actors Fund of America, and a former member of the Board of Trustees for the AFTRA Health and Retirement Fund and the New York City Labor Council.

Reardon narrowly lost the New York presidency of SAG-AFTRA to incumbent Mike Hodge in 2013 by 118 votes out of more than 6,000 following a spirited campaign.

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