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.

This article appeared on dailyorange.com, and was written by Nick Robertson.

The Sierra Club is pleased to endorse Ben Walsh for mayor of Syracuse as well as ten other candidates in Onondaga & Oneida Counties. 

The Sierra Club is America's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. It is dedicated to explore, enjoy and protect the planet and to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources.

Sierra Club also works to elect candidates who will lead the fight in protecting our communities and natural surroundings. Candidates supported by the Sierra Club include those who champion legislation that protects our clean air, clean water, and special wild places; speak out against environmentally destructive measures; lobby around important environmental issues, or otherwise work to protect America's natural heritage. 

The Central New York Group and the Atlantic Chapter is proud to endorse the following candidates.

ONONDAGA COUNTY LEGISLATURE

JANA ROGERS 5th District

JULIE ABBOTT 6th District

SUNNY ASLAM  12th District

PEGGY CHASE 9thth District

BILL KINNE 15th District

LINDA ERVIN 17th District

CITY OF SYRACUSE

BEN WALSH Mayor 

TOWN OF DEWITT

ED MICHALENKO, Supervisor

TOWN OF MANLIUS

JOHN DEER, Supervisor

SARA BOLLINGER  Town Board 

TOWN OF LYSANDER

BOB GERACI, Town Board

CITY OF UTICA, ONEIDA COUNTY

CELESTE FRIEND, 3rd Ward

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced he has received the endorsement of Teamsters Local 317 for re-election as mayor. Local 317 represents over 5,000 workers in various industries across Central New York, including truck drivers, warehouse workers, package delivery employees, public employees, bus drivers, dairy employees, clerical employees, mechanics and service employees.

”It is an honor to be endorsed by Teamsters Local 317. Its dedicated members are working every day to make life better for all of us,” said Mayor Walsh. “Too often, their work goes unnoticed, so I’m glad to use this occasion to say thank you to all Teamster Local 317 members for the service they provide.”

Walsh is a former union member (Laborers’ Local 633 and UFCW Local One) and employee of the New York State AFL-CIO. With this latest endorsement, Walsh has now received the endorsements of nine major unions including IBEW Local 43, IBEW Local 97, the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, United Food and Commercial Workers District Union Local One, 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.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced he has received the endorsement of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East for re-election as mayor. With over 450,000 members throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, DC, 1199SEIU is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in the nation. 

“Mayor Walsh has done a great job for the City of Syracuse,” said Jamila Grimes, who is a Licensed Practical Nurse at Loretto Health and Rehabilitation. “As a woman of color, I look at who he has surrounded himself in his circle of advisors. I see people who look like me.  Mayor Walsh knows every nook and cranny of our city, and I know he cares and loves all of us.  We know that we have a friend in City Hall and we need his leadership for a second term.”

“SEIU 1199 spends every hour of every day standing up for its members and those that they serve — people young and old who live and work in our community.  I admire SEIU’s record of service and caring for all of our residents and it’s strong advocacy for the rights of working people,” said Mayor Walsh. “It is a great honor to have SEIU 1199’s endorsement.”

Walsh is a former union member (Laborers’ Local 633 and UFCW Local One) and employee of the New York State AFL-CIO. With this latest endorsement, Walsh has now received the endorsements of eight major unions including IBEW Local 43, IBEW Local 97, the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, United Food and Commercial Workers District Union Local One, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 158 and the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council No. 4, Local 31.