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TROY, NY — In honor of Women’s History Month, Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced today that he introduced H.Res.218, a resolution commemorating the life and legacy of Capital Region labor pioneer Kate Mullany. After immigrating to the Capital Region as a young girl, Mullany organized the first all-female labor union in the United States — the Collar Laundry Union — and later rose to prominence as a pioneering leader in the American labor movement. Tonko made his announcement at the Kate Mullany House in Troy, the only surviving building associated with Kate Mullany.

“The history of our Capital Region is filled with the stories of pioneering women who have broken down barriers and helped shape our nation for the better,” Congressman Tonko said. “In this impressive pantheon of trailblazing women, Kate Mullany stands out. Through her organization and leadership of the Collar Laundry Union and her later work as a national union leader, Kate Mullany dedicated her life to the pursuit of economic and social justice for working women and working families here in our Capital Region and across the nation. Her work secured fairer wages and better working conditions for countless women, and the impact of her efforts can still be felt today. As we carry on Kate’s fight for justice, we owe it to her and to ourselves to honor her legacy and continue to tell her story.”

“On behalf of the working union women at the Kate Mullany chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, I would like to sincerely thank Congressman Paul Tonko for introducing a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to honor the life and legacy of a legendary inspiration to women in labor — Kate Mullany,” said Felicia Kuhn, President of the Kate Mullany chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). “Being the namesake chapter, we continue to carry the torch of Kate Mullany’s efforts by fighting for a more fair, just, and equitable world for all working women. Especially during this Women’s History Month, we renew our commitment to recognize that we stand on the shoulders of trailblazers like Kate Mullany. And we’re proud to have a representative in Washington D.C. like Congressman Tonko who has always stood in solidarity with us.”

“We are very appreciative of Congressman Tonko’s strong support of our efforts to restore the home of the woman who formed our nation’s first bona fide all-female union,” said Paul Cole, Executive Director of the American Labor Studies Center, which owns and is restoring the Kate Mullany National Historic Site. “Throughout his career, he has been a champion of the labor movement and of efforts to ensure that the history of the labor movement is widely shared. The Kate Mullany House tells the important story of the significant role that women have played in building a strong labor movement throughout our nation’s history.”

Congressman Tonko announced the introduction of his resolution following a tour of the Kate Mullany House, which has been undergoing renovations since a vehicle crashed into the building in 2020, disrupting long-term restoration efforts then underway. With reconstruction nearly complete, this National Historic Site is expected to reopen to the public in the coming months.

Photos of the visit can be seen and downloaded HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Social posts of the visit can be found HERE.