Construction Unions Hold off on Mayoral Endorsements

As unions lined up to support Zohran Mamdani after he won the Democratic nomination in June, the construction trades held back.

Within days of Andrew Cuomo losing the primary, unions that previously endorsed the former governor pivoted and publicly backed the democratic socialist. At a joint press conference a week after the primary, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, 32BJ SEIU and the New York State Nurses Association described why they had switched their allegiances.

“He has made crystal clear that whenever there is a struggle, whenever there is a dispute between labor and management, he will be on our side,” HTC President Rich Maroko said at the time.

Other unions, including District Council 37, the city’s largest municipal union, and the United Federation of Teachers, followed suit.

But more than two months after the primary, the construction unions that had endorsed Cuomo have remained mum about who they will ultimately back in November.

In a statement, Gary LaBarbera, who heads the city and state chapters of the union umbrella group, the Building and Construction Trades Council, indicated that his members are still “assessing the outcome of the recent Mayoral primary election and working to determine internally what the next best course of action would be on behalf of our members.”

That was the same response he gave the day after the primary, over 60 days ago.

Construction unions’ long-standing relationship with the former governor — LaBarbera once called Cuomo the “greatest” governor in the state’s history — likely explains their hesitancy to publicly jump ship. Cuomo launched his campaign at the carpenters’ union’s headquarters and held his election night watch party there as well. The carpenters and District Council 9, the painters’ union, were the first unions to announce their endorsements of Cuomo.

The New York City District Council of Carpenters’ political director, Kevin Elkins, took a leave of absence from the union to work on Cuomo’s campaign in February. After the former governor’s loss, he’s back at the union — and he says that the union hasn’t decided who to support in the general election. (He would not discuss his time with the campaign.)

In a statement, Paul Capurso, executive secretary-treasurer of the carpenters’ union, said the endorsement process is member-driven.

“Our top priority is ensuring that whoever is in City Hall next year champions a strong economy, good union jobs, and a city that is both affordable and safe for our members,” he said in a statement.

The Mason Tenders District Council, which represents five locals, including the laborers’ union local 79, similarly hasn’t endorsed a candidate in the general election.

Despite their clear Cuomo ties, the groups may also not see much to gain by taking sides. Both Cuomo and Mamdani have underscored that their affordable housing plans are powered by union labor. Mayor Eric Adams reached a deal last year with the building trades to launch a fund for building affordable housing, which is helping to finance 3,000 units at a defunct Flushing airport.

Or they are waiting to endorse a candidate closer to November. The groups wouldn’t share details on timing.

One point of contention, for the carpenters’ union at least, is a proposal to weaken the City Council’s sway over rezonings. Voters in November will be asked if a land use appeals board should be created and imbued with the authority to reverse City Council decisions on rezonings. The carpenters’ union opposes this proposal, viewing it as a loss of leverage in the city’s land use review process, to ensure that developers hire union labor.

Mamdani has said he supports ending the City Council’s tradition of member deference, and Adams and Cuomo back the ballot proposals.