Newsroom

Largest city union backs Thompson for mayor

By JASON FINK

August 14 , 2009

The city's largest municipal employees union endorsed Comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor Thursday, a reversal from four years ago, when it backed Mayor Michael Bloomberg for re-election.

"He is not only an ally in our struggle to protect our members but a champion of millions of hard-working New Yorkers we serve," said Lillian Roberts, head of the union, District Council 37, which represents about 125,000 city employees.

Though Thompson, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, would seem a natural fit for a labor union, Bloomberg sought the DC 37 endorsement, which he won four years ago when he ran against another Democrat, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

But the union, which received 4 percent raises in its most recent contract, has turned against Bloomberg, slamming his administration in a public ad campaign for its use of outside contractors. The mayor also vetoed legislation - later overridden by the City Council - allowing members to live outside the city.

"It's time that we make hard-working men and women a priority again," Thompson said. "I look forward to having DC 37's continued support over the coming months as we work to bring new leadership to City Hall."

The Bloomberg campaign called on Thompson to release a questionnaire both men filled out for the union (Bloomberg released his) and issued a statement asking "what promises Mr. Thompson made them and how much his promises will cost taxpayers."

Thompson said he would not release the questionnaire, which covers a range of topics, from mayoral control of the schools to the creation of a new pension tier for city workers.