NEW YORK— The executive board of 32BJ SEIU has voted to endorse Andrew Cuomo for New York State Governor and Kathy Hochul for Lieutenant Governor.

“Governor Cuomo has been supportive of 32BJ in our fight to improve pay and working conditions for 12,000 airport workers in New York who make poverty wages,” said Héctor Figueroa, president of 32BJ SEIU.  “The Governor passed important gun control legislation, made marriage equality the law and provided funding for universal pre-k for our children.”

“In this primary, the best way to turn a progressive agenda into a reality is by voting for Governor Cuomo and Kathy Hochul,” Figueroa said. “They have pledged to support an agenda, backed by a historic coalition of unions, community groups, elected officials and the Working Families Party, that includes giving cities the right raise their local minimum wage, passing the DREAM Act, passing campaign finance reform and taking back the Senate for the Democrats.”

“Workers from Massachusetts to Maryland to Seattle to Los Angeles are demanding an end to poverty wages,” said Figueroa. “Gov Cuomo has steered us through difficult economic times, and we believe that it is now time for working families in New York to share in the prosperity of our great state. The Governor has committed himself to achieving that goal and we will be there to help him make it happen.”

32BJ SEIU has 75,000 members in New York, and a total of 145,000 members in 11 states plus the District of Columbia. Over the next few months, the union plans to do an extensive voter education drive, with canvasses and street events street as well as phone banks, mailings and community outreach.

With more than 145,000 members, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service union in the country.

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