McGinn Gets Union Support

​As the clear gonna-build-a-tunnel-and-guarantee-a-ton-of-union-jobs (catchy, right?), Average Joe Mallahan has managed to make himself the favored candidate of both business and labor this election season. UNTIL NOW.

In an e-mail this morning, Local 21 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union announced their support of Mike McGinn. From the sound of their name the UFCW doesn't represent anyone who wields a jackhammer. So it makes sense that they could look past the fact that McGinn is against the project that would be a windfall for local construction groups.

Full presser after the jump...

UFCW 21 Announces Endorsement:

Mike McGinn in Seattle Mayor's Race

Early this morning, UFCW 21, the state's largest private sector union, announced it's endorsement of Mike McGinn in the Seattle Mayor's race. UFCW 21 has 35,000 members working in grocery store, retail, health care and service sector jobs.

"We like Mike. He has a proven track record in this city of making things happen to better the lives of working people," said Rachel Marcotte a member of the union's executive board and a local grocery store worker who lives in a north Seattle neighborhood.

The announcement, made one week prior to mail-in ballots being sent to voters, is hoped to give McGinn some additional steam for his campaign as it enters the final month before Election Day.

"We made this decision because we feel that Mike McGinn is a candidate with a broad range of experience rooted in the local community. The election is about the future of this great progressive city and Mike will do right by our members and help advance the lives of working people," said Steve Williamson, Assistant to the President of UFCW 21. "Looking closely at his values and the leadership he has already provided, we feel strongly that he would represent working people in our city."

Below are three specific examples of McGinn's leadership roles in collective solutions for Seattle over many years:

• Winning housing and health benefits for Teaching Assistants at University of Washington (President of Graduate and Professional Student Senate, UW)

• Helping head up effort to pass Seattle Parks Levy (Head of Great Cities, a local community organization)

• Partnering with community members to preserve industrial land inside city of Seattle (Sierra Club leader).

UFCW 21 will be working to get the word out to its members over the coming weeks with phone calls, mailings and other communication to members in Seattle.