Major labor unions are breaking away from Big Labor in New York and backing Republican incumbents over Democratic challengers in close local House races, increasing Republicans' chances of retaining a majority in Congress.
New York state AFL-CIO leadership is backing Democrats in all seven of the most competitive local House races, including five leading first-term Republican candidates in battleground districts. , this is only part of the story.
John Samuelsen, president of the 155,000-member United Transportation Workers Union and a member of the AFL-CIO Leadership Council, is one of two first-term Republicans in contention in the Hudson Valley, the 17th I am endorsing the re-election of Mike Lawler in the Ward and Mark Molinaro in the 17th Ward. 18th.
Samuelsen emphasized that he supports Republicans as well as Democrats who will respond to the voices of mechanics, car cleaners, baggage handlers, bus and train drivers, ramp attendants, flight attendants and other members of Congress. .
He said both ends of the Republican Party he supports are proving to be his allies.
“Democrats have to win support. They have no right to TWU recognition,” Samuelsen said on Sunday.
Mr. Lawler has received 37 labor endorsements, including 15 from law enforcement agencies and 22 from construction unions, labor unions and fire unions, including major affiliates of the 2.5 million-member AFL-CIO. It was.
He also won support from trade unions representing carpenters, steam fitters, plumbers, electrical workers and operating engineers, as well as the Building and Construction Industry Council.
Many of the same unions and local residents also supported Mr. Molinaro.
“I think what we’re seeing within the ranks of these unions is that their membership is moving to the right,” Lawler told the Post while campaigning in Putnam County on Sunday.
“I certainly think the Republican Party should be the party of working families and we should fight for good-paying jobs.”
Lawler's rival, former Democratic Congressman Mondaire Jones, has the backing of more than a dozen unions, including powerful teachers and health care unions, including 1199 SEIU and the NYS Nursing Association, and the AFL-CIO.
The latest Emerson College poll released last week showed Mr. Lawler with 45% of likely voters and Mr. Jones with 44%, showing a virtual dead heat between the two candidates.
TWU's Mr. Samuelsen also said Mr. Lawler had opposed efforts by airlines to move maintenance jobs overseas and supported other measures to support airline crew and rail safety. He said he had the union's support.
Mr Jones and other Labor leaders were furious after Mr Jones was quoted in the article saying their support “couldn't be based on policy” and said they were “turning their backs on pro-labor candidates”. ” he criticized.
“Mondale Jones is an entitled, spoiled, neurotic bastard,” Samuelsen raged.
The newspaper obtained copies of two videos the union distributed to its members, accusing Jones of “no-showing” on the issue.
A spokesperson for the Jones campaign said: “It's unfortunate that John Samuelsen is making such petty insults because he can't pinpoint a policy-based reason for not supporting the only Labor-leaning candidate in this race.” I objected.
“During his tenure in Congress, Mr. Mondale passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which TWU praised for its significant investment in the transportation sector, which saved thousands of union jobs. He also played a key role in passing bipartisan infrastructure legislation,” the representative said.
Mr. Molinaro, a former Dutchess County executive, has received 35 orders from the construction industry and law enforcement agencies, including the National Border Patrol Council, as the border migrant crisis intensifies and becomes a major issue in a tight rematch race with Democrat Josh Riley. It is gaining support for the Labor Party.
Molinaro said he has worked to rally union support over the past two years in Congress.
“I've spent the last 15 years building relationships with the men and women in the industry,” he said at an event outside Binghamton last week.
This time, Mr. Molinaro has also won the support of Local 43 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which supports Mr. Riley, his 2022 opponent.
“We don't care if you have an R, D, or I in front of your name. If you support labor-management issues, we're going to do everything in our power to support you. So If you don’t, we will do everything in our power to remove you,” said Al Marzullo, business manager for IBEW Local 43, which has 1,500 members.
In Long Island's South Shore 4th District, first-term U.S. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito won support from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the local chapter of the Public Employees Association, which represents thousands of workers. .
D'Esposito will be in a tight race in a rematch with former Democratic Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen.
