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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2013Contact: Tara L. Martin I
Email:[email protected] Phone: 212.684.5300 x122 I Cell:
347.416.3288
RWDSU ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENTS FOR 2013 CITY COUNCIL
CANDIDATES
NEW YORK, NY Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store
Union (RWDSU) is announcing sixadditional endorsements of
candidates for New York City Council in the 2013 elections.
The endorsements are as follows:
District 8 Melissa Mark-Viverito
District 22 Costa Constantinides
District 24 Rory Lancman
District 31 Donovan Richards
District 33 Steve Levin
District 34 Antonio Reynoso
RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum issued the following statement
regarding the RWDSU's
endorsements:
"Income inequality has reached immoral levels in this city. Far
too many working families are struggling
just to survive. Working people need elected officials at every
level who are committed to progressive
ideals. We need council members who will fight for all New
Yorkers - including low wage workers.
"The individuals we are endorsing today have fought for New York
City's working people -from taking a
stand against Wal-Mart to spearheading groundbreaking living
wage legislation, responsible
development, workers rights, immigrant rights, the car wash
workers campaign, and fair contract fights.
These candidates are champions for working families, and the
RWDSU is proud to stand with them.
Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito -- District 8As a member of
the city council, Melissa Mark-Viverito has worked closely with the
RWDSU - from
lending support to the organizing campaign for car wash workers
to advocating for the passage of the
living wage law. She is the lead sponsor of the Car Wash
Accountability Act, which requires car washes
to be licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs and would
ensure greater review of this
industrys labor and environmental practices.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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Costa Constantinides -- District 22
Costas background as a grassroots organizer turned District
Leader has put him in direct touch with the
needs of working families of Queens. Through his work in the
City Council as Deputy Chief of Staff to
Councilmember Jim Gennaro, he has been instrumental in passing
environment legislation that protects
the health and safety of all New Yorkers. He has been a vocal
opponent of Stop and Frisk and has
organized youth in his district to increase civic
participation.
Rory Lancman -- District 24
As a member of the Assembly and chair of the Workplace Safety
Committee, Rory Lancman fought arm-
in-arm alongside the RWDSU for safer working conditions, better
wages and real bargaining rights for
retail, car wash and supermarket workers. He has authored and
passed several pieces of state legislation
that have protected the rights of workers, and has teamed up
with the New York State Department of
Labor to host the first annual "New York State Immigrant
Workers' Rights Awareness Weekend".
Donovan Richards -- District 31
As the chief of staff to former Councilmember James Sanderswho
chaired the Labor and Civil Service
Committee, Donovan has spoken out against development that would
damage communities, and he has
advocated for funding for developments that would create high
quality jobs and public space. He hasalso led trainings for youth
in his district - educating them on their rights while being stop
and frisked.
Councilmember Steve Levin -- District 33
Councilmember Steve Levin was an early and fierce supporter of
the Living Wage campaign. He has
spent his career fighting for working families in the housing
arena, working to ensure that all New
Yorkers have access to safe and affordable housing.
Antonio Reynoso -- District 34
Born and raised in the 34th
district, Antonio Reynoso started his career as an organizer
under the
mentorship of the late Jon Kest, a close friend and ally of the
RWDSU and a pre-eminent leader in our
city's progressive movement. As the current Chief of Staff to
Councilmember Diana Reyna, he has shownhis commitment to issues
like living wages and responsible economic development.
The RWDSU has previously endorsed two other candidates in this
year's city council's races -- Corey
Johnson, District 3 and Jesus Gonzalez, District 37.
# # #
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
represents 100,000 members throughout the United States, including
45,000
members in New York. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United
Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information,
please visit
our website atwww.rwdsu.org.
http://www.rwdsu.org/http://www.rwdsu.org/http://www.rwdsu.org/http://www.rwdsu.org/
