SEIU Ponders Early Endorsement of Newsom

by Paul Hogarth, Beyond Chron (reposted)

Wed, May 23, 2007 6:23AM

It’s only May, but key endorsements for the Mayor’s race are already picking up. Last night, the various locals that make up SEIU had a question-and-answer meeting with Gavin Newsom, as he seeks the powerful union’s early endorsement for re-election. While the group made no public recommendation before the State Council votes on June 4th, members gathered to ask the Mayor about issues with their contracts – proving that an early endorsement from SEIU cannot be taken for granted. For Local 1021, who represents all City employees and several non-profits, meeting with Newsom was a meeting with their “boss” – with the Mayor’s budget (which will have a profound effect on their jobs) scheduled to be released on June 1st. Meanwhile, Supervisor Chris Daly was on hand to ask SEIU to hold off on an early endorsement, as he invited members to attend the June 2nd Progressive Convention that will field another candidate.

While labor unions tend to support progressive candidates, it’s not unusual for them to endorse Mayors for re-election. For example, while Tom Ammiano challenged Willie Brown in 1999 from the Left, most unions went with Brown. Therefore, with Newsom having sky-high approval ratings and no serious opponent yet, it won’t be surprising if SEIU and other unions choose to endorse him.

In a letter to the SEIU members as they entered the hall, Daly acknowledged that many in the labor movement think that an early endorsement of Newsom is “the best that can be done” for working people. But he urged members that “when we fight, we win,” as he argued that Newsom’s record on labor issues does not stand scrutiny. Inside the hall, one of the member chapters distributed a flyer against an early endorsement – citing unresolved issues such as temporary employees, retirement benefits and privatization.

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