Former governor and Democratic mayoral hopeful Andrew Cuomo earlier than he speaks to members of the Nationwide Motion Community throughout an April 3 mayoral discussion board.
Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
Two of town’s strongest unions, which endorsed Mayor Eric Adams in 2021, are as an alternative supporting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo within the 2025 NYC mayor’s race, his marketing campaign introduced on Monday.
The help of the 2 unions, 32BJ SEIU and the Lodge and Gaming Trades Council (HTC), which characterize constructing service and hospitality business staff, respectively, is extremely wanted amongst native candidates every election cycle. The endorsements from the 2 unions assist solidify Cuomo’s standing because the clear frontrunner within the crowded Democratic main race.
Each labor teams have been the newest members of Adams’ profitable 2021 Democratic main coalition to pivot to Cuomo. Adams is now not looking for the Democratic nomination, opting as an alternative to run as an impartial within the normal election.
Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ SEIU, mentioned his 85,000-member union is backing Cuomo as a result of he stood up for them throughout his governorship and is greatest positioned to fend off the Trump administration’s all-out assault on the 5 boroughs.
“Andrew Cuomo is equipped to stand up to attacks on our city that threaten our finances, our jobs, our public transportation, our healthcare, our Social Security and our rights,” Pastreich mentioned in a press release. “He has concrete plans to address our housing and healthcare affordability crises as mayor and as governor showed he knows how to deliver for working people.”
HTC President Wealthy Maroko expressed related sentiments in a press release. He cited what he described as Cuomo’s report of supporting his union’s 40,000 members as governor — saying it is very important have a mayor who understands its members’ points because it heads into a brand new spherical of contract negotiations with town.
“Now, especially as our union approaches a renegotiation of our citywide hotel contract that will determine the livelihoods of our members and their families for the next decade, we need a leader who understands what’s at stake and will have our backs through it all,” Maroko mentioned. “As Andrew Cuomo said when he recently addressed our members, when we need him in a fight, he will be in the foxhole with us until the end.”
Maroko was certainly one of many labor leaders to name for Cuomo’s ouster after state Lawyer Basic Letitia James revealed a report in 2021 discovering that he sexually harassed 11 girls. Cuomo resigned and stepped away from politics for the previous three years, however he denies the report and the allegations inside it.
However, Cuomo’s mayoral bid has already nabbed the help of different distinguished labor unions and politicians. His backers embrace the District Council of Carpenters; the chairs of the Brooklyn and Queens Democratic Events, Meeting Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D-Brooklyn) and US Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens), respectively; and US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx).
The previous governor has additionally dominated the remainder of the sector within the polls and has raised roughly $1.5 million.
Certainly one of Cuomo’s rivals, metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, didn’t look like shedding an excessive amount of sleep over his newest labor endorsements on Monday. As an alternative, appeared to blast each teams for defecting to Cuomo after beforehand supporting the present mayor.
“Institutions whose leaders choose to support abusive egomaniacs with track records of putting New Yorkers’ lives at risk for their own ego and glory shouldn’t be surprised if they wind up supporting people who are abusive egomaniacs who put New Yorkers’ lives at risk for their own ego and glory,” Lander mentioned.
