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New York, NY – 32BJ members and 32BJ Secretary Treasurer Héctor Figueroa will rally in Washington Heights Monday morning to announce the union’s endorsement of Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat for Senate in District 31. As one of the union’s first endorsements in the 2010 elections and only the second Senate endorsement, 32BJ is committing to member mobilization and voter outreach in support of the campaign.
“As a member of the Assembly and an active member of his community, Adriano Espaillat has fought tirelessly for the rights of working families and immigrants,” said Héctor Figueroa, 32BJ Secretary Treasurer. 32BJ is the largest private sector union in the state. “32BJ is proud to get behind candidates like Adriano who will bring strong leadership to the Senate.”
Assemblyman Espaillat is a longtime advocate for working families. He is a co-sponsor of a bill (A-10257) that would ensure contracted cleaners at public utility companies, like ConEd, are making enough to support their families. He has worked to help raise wage standards for thousands of security officers, many of whom were earning poverty-like wages, and he has also worked to strengthen fines for landlords who try to force working families out of their homes. Espaillat has also been a leader of Latino and immigrant rights, protesting Arizona’s divisive immigration law and as chair of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Legislative Task Force.
“For the better part of a decade, I have worked hand-in-hand with the members and leaders of 32BJ SEIU,” Assemblyman Espaillat said. “From supporting the workers’ need for fair contracts to pushing for a living wage law or protecting the right to organize, I am proud to say that I have always been fighting alongside 32BJ. It is because of this long history of collaboration that I am especially proud to accept the endorsement of the 70,000 members of 32BJ. The 31st District is home to many members of 32BJ, and I look forward to representing them in the New York State Senate.”
With 70,000 members in New York, 32BJ is known for its strength in mobilizing members and voters to support endorsed candidates. During the 2008 state elections, the union spent more than $350,000 in ads and direct mail in key races. In addition, hundreds of members volunteered to speak with voters about the union’s endorsed candidates.
“I’m ready to start knocking on doors for Adriano,” said Cesar Meza, a 32BJ member who lives in the district. “I want to be sure the entire community knows that he’s the candidate who will help get the Senate focused on working families.”
The union’s member-driven endorsement process is currently underway, and additional endorsement announcements are expected in the upcoming week. The union previously announced endorsements of Senator Schneiderman for Attorney General and Assemblyman Gianaris for State Senate.
This election work is part of 32BJ’s “State that Works” program - a policy agenda focused on creating good jobs and an affordable state through economic development, contracting and tax abatement programs. 32BJ will be continuing its efforts to elect candidates supportive of the State that Works in the fall elections.
With more than 120,000 members in seven states and Washington, DC, including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.
updated 6/17/2010
