Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced he has received the endorsement of the Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO for re-election as mayor. Walsh is a former union member (Laborers’ Local 633 and UFCW Local One) and employee of the New York State AFL-CIO. GSLC is one of nearly 500 state and local labor councils of the AFL-CIO and are the heart of the labor movement in Onondaga and Madison Counties.

In the endorsement, Labor Council President Mark Spadafore praised Mayor Walsh for his support of the local workforce. “Your distinguished record of service demonstrates your commitment to the rights of workers, quality health care and numerous other issues of importance to working people in Central New York.”

”The Greater Syracuse Labor Council works everyday to protect the rights of working people and advocates on issues that are important to all of us: pushing social and economic justice;  fighting oppression and making our communities better for all people,” said Mayor Walsh. “The vision my team established is for Syracuse to be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all. The Labor Council endorsement is an indication we are heading in the right direction. It’s also an inspiration to keep working because the job is not done.

With this latest endorsement, Walsh has now received the endorsements of ten major unions including Teamsters Local 317, IBEW Local 43, IBEW Local 97, the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, United Food and Commercial Workers District Union Local One, Sierra Club, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 158 and the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council No. 4, Local 31.