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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2021

#LaborStrong2021 Coalition representing 362,000 Essential Workers endorses 31 candidates for NY City Council

Coalition of five major unions commits to go “All Out” to elect a pro-worker majority in the City Council.

NEW YORK—In a show of citywide political force, the #LaborStrong2021 coalition representing members of five city unions today announced endorsements for 31 candidates for NY City Council, who if elected would constitute a majority of the Council.

The coalition, which includes 32BJ SEIU, Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA), District Council 37 (DC37), Hotel Trades Council (HTC), and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), has pledged to commit significant resources to the races where it has endorsed.

The five unions represent 362,000 members and households of essential workers — including nurses, doormen, hotel cleaners, public service and telecommunication workers — who have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting their lives, their health, and their livelihoods at risk every day.

“Throughout the pandemic, our members have not flagged in their sense of purpose to keep New York running and safe,” said 32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg. “Our members are proud to endorse Selvena Brooks-Powers for City Council District 31. In the Council Selvena will carry out policies that will help our city recover while supporting the rights and economic well-being of workers, their families and all New Yorkers.”

“CWA District 1 is proud to join in this historic partnership,” said Dennis Trainor, Vice President CWA District 1. “It’s clearer than ever that workers are the backbone of this city. Our members have kept healthcare centers running and made it possible for New Yorkers to work and learn at home. Now we must fight for a City Council that will truly protect the City’s working families as we strive to rebuild and emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.”

“The strength and resiliency of this city is rooted in the labor movement”, said Henry Garrido, Executive Director District Council 37, AFSCME. “Our members dedicated their lives to keep New York City safe during the worst pandemic in this nation’s history. Their commitment to this city needs to be reflected in those we elect to the City Council. That is why DC37 is committed to electing pro-worker candidates who will fight alongside us to ensure that the rights of our members are protected and that the future of this city will be rebuilt with organized labor.”

“New York City may have been hit hard by COVID-19, but our members are united to build our communities back stronger than ever,” said HTC President Rick Maroko. “That’s why we are fighting to elect pro-worker candidates in every corner of this city. A solid progressive majority means more jobs, better wages, and a more equitable recovery. Our coalition is going all out to get it done.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic helped expose the extreme racial and income inequality in our city,” said NYSNA President Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN. “Essential workers like nurses, as well as our sisters and brothers in healthcare, communications, the public sector and the service industry, saw the harm to our communities up close. That’s why we’re coming together to work to elect leaders committed to dismantling racism and leveling the playing field for hardworking New Yorkers.”

The candidates endorsed by #LaborStrong2021 are:

MANHATTAN
Jenny Low (Distr. 1)
Carlina Rivera (Distr. 2)
Erik Bottcher (Distr. 3)
Keith Powers (Distr. 4)
Julie Menin (Distr. 5)
Gale Brewer (Distr. 6)
Shaun Abreu (Distr. 7)
Carmen De La Rosa (Distr. 10)

BRONX
Diana Ayala (Distr. 8)
Kevin Riley (Distr. 12)
Althea Stevens (Distr. 16)
Amanda Farias (Distr. 18)

QUEENS
Austin Shafran (Distr. 19)
Sandra Ung (Distr. 20)
Francisco Moya (Distr. 21)
Tiffany Cabán (Distr. 22)
Shekar Krishnan (Distr. 25)
Adrienne Adams (Distr. 28)
Lynn Schulman (Distr. 29)
Selvena Brooks-Powers (Distr. 31)
Felicia Singh (Distr. 32)

BROOKLYN
Lincoln Restler (Distr.33)
Jen Gutiérrez (Distr. 34)
Henry Butler (Distr. 36)
Sandy Nurse (Distr. 37)
Alexa Aviles (Distr. 38)
Alicka Ampry-Samuel (Distr. 41)
Justin Brannan (Distr. 43)
Farah Louis (Distr. 45)
Ari Kagan (Distr. 47)
Boris Noble (Distr. 48)

New York’s primary elections are scheduled to take place June 22, 2021.

With 175,000 members, including 85,000 in New York, SEIU 32BJ is the largest building services union in the country.

The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 working men and women in telecommunications, customer service, healthcare, media, airlines, public service and manufacturing. District One represents 65,000 total members in New York State.