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New York, NY –Citing Mayor Bloomberg’s record on creating good jobs, support for raising security industry standards and launching a Green Building initiative, 32BJ today announced its endorsement of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for re-election.
“The Mayor’s work to green City buildings, and ensure good jobs at new development sites, demonstrates his commitment to a better New York and working families,” said Mike Fishman, 32BJ President -- the largest private-sector union in New York. “We will work with the Mayor to ensure new jobs provide New Yorkers the wages and benefits needed to support families.”
The announcement, which followed a unanimous decision by the 32BJ executive board late Tuesday, capped a membership-driven, six month endorsement process. In that time, 32BJ members have interviewed the top two candidates; campaign staffs have been briefed on the Union’s policy agenda and each candidate “has Walked-A-Day” with a security officer by shadowing them at work, on the train and at home.
“The Mayor understands the every-day struggles of working New Yorkers,” said Annie Davis, a security officer at the City’s Department of Health and Human Services building, who the Mayor ‘Walked-A-Day’ with as she started her daily routine. “I’m going to vote for him, and I tell all my co-workers about the work he’s doing to make New York a better place.”
“New York depends on the dedication of millions of hardworking men and women to keep the City moving,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “By keeping our buildings safe, clean and running well, 32BJ members are the backbone of our City, and I’m proud to have them standing with me.”
In addition to Walk-A-Days, 32BJ has introduced a New Deal for New Yorkers, a policy agenda aimed at getting New Yorkers into the middle class with better jobs. By working with City Council Speaker Quinn, Mayor Bloomberg has introduced four “green” bills that would significantly improve the City’s environment through reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions which are much higher than any other city. The legislation could create hundreds of jobs for workers trained in green retrofitting. The union has embarked on an ambitious new Green training program aimed at providing 1,000 building superintendents with the skills needed to save energy, money and protect our environment.
On security, the Mayor is a long-standing supporter of 32BJ’s efforts to raise industry standards and improve the working conditions of thousands of security officers in New York City. The union’s New York Safe & Secure training program, an innovative labor-management initiative, has provided 40 hours of state-of-the-art security training to more than 1,200 private security officers.
The Mayor has worked with 32BJ and other labor unions over the past eight years to attach job quality standards to major development projects with the promise of creating thousands of family-sustaining jobs. As a result, the workers who will maintain the new developments at Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Willets Point and Hunters Point will receive prevailing wages and benefits.
With more than 70,000 members in New York, 32BJ is the largest private-sector union in the state.
