Major labor union local backs Sen. Espaillat for Congress

New York.- LIUNA,which represents asbestos, lead and hazardous waste handlers, on Saturday endorsedsenator Adriano Espaillat for Congress, at a rally in Washington Heights.

LIUNA Local 78 business manager Edison Severino andscores of union members were on hand to endorse Senator Espaillat. The Local’s 4,000 members are the hard-working employees for nearly 200signatory environmental contractors, performing 90% of all asbestos removal inthe area.

“Adriano Espaillat is a true organizer at heart, a man ofthe people. If you spend one day with him, it is immediately clear how much hecares for the communities he serves, and his passion for working New Yorkers.Adriano has always stood on the side of labor and I am proud tostand with him today to endorse him for Congress,” Severino said.

LIUNA Local 78 was organized in 1996 by the LaborersInternational Union of North America (LIUNA). On its first day, the Local had1,500 members. Since then, due to aggressive organizing and an activemembership, the Local has grown steadily to 4,000 members.

“I am thrilled to have the support of the hard-workingmembers of LIUNA Local 78,” said Espaillat. “I started mycareer in public service as an organizer, working to mobilize tenants fightingfor decent living conditions. In Congress, I will continue to work tirelesslyto ensure all New Yorkers have the rights, benefits and wages they deserve.”

“Senator Espaillat has a long track-record of fighting forworking New Yorkers. He helped organize over 35,000 home-based daycareproviders so they would have access to healthcare and better wages, and led theeffort to create a livery driver’s worker’s compensation fund, protecting over40,000 livery drivers. Senator Espaillat is also the author of the NewYork Farm Workers Fair Labor Practices Act, which would give basic rights to100,000 farmworkers, who currently are subject to unsafe and unsanitary conditions.”