Two major New York City labor unions that previously supported former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in this year’s race for mayor have now thrown their support behind Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who emerged victorious in the Democratic primary.
The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council as well as 32BJ SEIU, representing building service workers in the city, have decided to endorse Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, following his surprising win against Cuomo in the mayoral race, as reported by multiple sources and reports.
These endorsements mark a major win for Mamdani, with the hotel workers’ union representing 40,000 members in the city and the building workers’ union representing an additional 85,000.
Additionally, the New York State Nurses Association, representing 30,000 members in the city, has also given their endorsement to Mamdani.
Rich Maroko, president of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, expressed confidence in Mamdani’s support for hospitality workers, stating, “We are genuinely excited to endorse Zohran and ready to help him win in November.”
While Cuomo has conceded the Democratic primary to Mamdani, he has not ruled out continuing his mayoral campaign.
Rich Azzopardi, a campaign spokesman for Cuomo, acknowledged the unions’ decision to drop their support, saying, “We appreciated and valued their support during the primary.”
Following his primary win, Mamdani, who has faced discriminatory attacks, expressed gratitude for the new endorsements, emphasizing his campaign’s focus on working people and their rights.
