Annie M. Rutsky has over 35 years of experience in Labor Relations. From 2015 to 2025, Ms. Rutsky was a Federal Mediator with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Her areas of professional interest include labor-management relationship transformation, collective bargaining, and the neuroscience of conflict. Ms. Rutsky’s FMCS client base spanned several industries including state government, local government, education, legal services, health care, manufacturing, construction, law enforcement, social services, and transportation. She has provided training and workshops to employers and unions in the private, public and federal sectors. While at FMCS, she assisted clients in averting or ending over 50 work stoppages. Also of note, Annie conducted an average of 250-350 mediations, workshops, or meeting facilitations each year.
Annie holds a dual B.A. in English Literature and Political Science from Regis College in Weston, MA and an M.A. in English Languages and Literatures from the University at Albany-SUNY where she served as a union steward with CWA Local 1188. Annie worked full time as the Union’s Statewide Administrative Coordinator while completing her M.A. Between 1992 and 2009, she taught more than 10,000 students in 30 course content areas at Albany area universities and colleges. She served on curriculum design committees, advised and mentored students, was an instructor in study abroad programs, and coordinated department accreditation, student retention and student engagement task forces. Annie was a member of and frequent presenter with the Conference on College Composition and Communication and the National Council of Teachers of English.
In 2008, Annie “retired” from higher education when she accepted a Labor Representative position at the New York State Nurses Association-NYSNA. In that role, Annie served as advocate and chief negotiator for over forty RN bargaining units. In addition to her representational and bargaining duties, Annie delivered NYSNA’s Member Leader Training program to union stewards throughout the State. She was also the Upstate NY grievance chair of the NYSNA USW staff union. In 2012, Annie earned a certificate in Collective Bargaining Studies from Cornell University’s ILR Program. She is also a graduate of the United Association of Labor Educators’ Summer School for Union Women.
Born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Annie has lived in Albany’s Capitol District for over 36 years. She and her husband James, a professional photographer, have enjoyed 25 years of walking in the woods, fishing and canoeing in the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains. She is an avid knitter, civic volunteer, and community organization advocate.