Labor unions have announced their endorsements for the mayoral and comptroller candidates they believe will best represent their members.
Democratic Party primary elections in New York City are scheduled for June 24, while the Republican Party –– which has selected Curtis Sliwa as its mayoral candidate –– will not hold a primary, and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams runs for re-election as an independent.
Major polling sites show former Governor Andrew Cuomo slightly ahead of Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming Democratic Party primary. A survey conducted by RacetotheWH and posted on June 4 found that Cuomo could receive 37.2% of potential votes, while Mamdani garnered the next highest total at 18.5%. Yet, Brad Lander is the most liked candidate, and Mamdani has raised the most funds for his campaign, a total of $8.4 million.
City Councilmember Justin Brannan, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, State Senator Kevin Parker, and Ismael Malave-Perez Jr. are the Democratic Party primary contenders in the election for the comptroller position. The Republican Party has Peter Kefalas as its candidate for city comptroller.
With the general election on November 4, 2025, these endorsements indicate which candidates are prioritizing the interests of New York City’s workers.
Mayoral endorsements:
Back in April, the healthcare workers union, 1199SEIU, issued a statement endorsing Cuomo for mayor: “As Governor of New York, Cuomo stood with 1199SEIU healthcare workers in winning historic victories for working New Yorkers, including the “Fight for $15”, expanding Paid Family Leave, winning marriage equality, and defending immigrant rights. While Washington D.C. wages an unprecedented assault on health care access and Medicaid funding, Cuomo’s record of delivering for healthcare workers, their patients and communities stands as one of his continued successes.”
32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) also came out for Cuomo: 32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich said, “Governor Cuomo delivered airport essential workers the highest minimum wage in the nation and access to healthcare benefits under the Healthy Terminals Act. All workers in the state won the $15 minimum wage and Paid Sick Leave. He fought for and secured prevailing wage standards for building service workers on subsidized projects. Farm workers and domestic workers who had been left out of national labor laws saw the historic extension of labor rights, and when the labor movement’s rights were under attack, he signed legislation making union dues tax-deductible. He came through for our immigrant communities, signing the NYS Dream Act, the law extending access to driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status, and standing up to Trump’s demands for the State’s database of undocumented immigrants who had received driver licenses.” In their statement, HTC said, “Cuomo was at the helm when gaming expanded throughout New York State, and he was instrumental in ensuring that, with the growth of this new industry, came excellent union jobs. Cuomo signed the law to make the emerging gaming industry result in high-quality jobs with a requirement for labor peace agreements. It’s because of that legislation that 5,000 of our members in the gaming industry have excellent, good-paying jobs today.”
Other labor unions that have voiced support for Cuomo are construction industry workers at LIUNA NY; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3, Teamsters Local 237; District Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades; the Uniformed EMS Officers Union Local 3621; District Council of Carpenters; the EMS workers union, Local 2507; Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2; the New York City Deputy Sheriffs’ Association; New York City Coalition of the International Union of the Operating Engineers; the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), Uniformed Firefighters Officers Association (UFOA); and Teamsters Joint Council 16.
The first labor union to endorse Mamdani for mayor was the United Auto Workers Region 9A. “Some may say we took a chance,” Brandon Mancilla, a UAW director, said, “but the actual reckless gamble is to endorse status quo candidates that caused the crisis working families face in the first place.” Workers United NY/NJ, which represents manufacturing, retail, food service, garment-making, and distribution center workers, endorsed both Mamdani and current NYC Comptroller Brad Lander –– they want members to consider both candidates in the ranked-choice voting due to take place in the primary. “During Lander’s time on the City Council, he relentlessly focused on protecting and strengthening workers’ rights and introduced Fair Work Week and Just Cause legislation, which have become crucial protections for workers in NYC,” the Workers United endorsement announcement said. “As NYC Comptroller, he led a coalition of Starbucks shareholders to pass a resolution requiring an independent assessment of the company’s labor practices and has been a key ally to our union during the Starbucks campaign. As a State Assemblymember, Mamdani has shown up again and again for our members in his district and beyond. From nail salon workers to taxi workers, he has consistently fought for justice for the most exploited and often forgotten parts of the working class.” The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU), the largest resident physician union in the country, said Mamdani’s prioritizing of universal healthcare access and investments in frontline healthcare workers helped push their support of his candidacy. “As doctors, we’re taught to listen to the needs of the most marginalized — Zohran’s campaign is doing exactly that,” said Dr. Soaptarshi Paul, a union member and Internal Medicine resident. “And we’re proud to stand with him.”
Other labor unions that have voiced support for Mamdani are the film and television industry workers of IATSE Local 161; City University of New York’s union workers in PSC/CUNY; NYC’s largest municipal employees union, District Council 37; UNITE HERE Local 100’s cafeteria, dining room, and restaurant workers; and the delivery and warehouse employees of Teamsters Local 804.
Comptroller endorsements:
Teamsters Local 237, the nation’s largest Teamsters local, which represents New York City and Suffolk County school safety officers and NYCHA workers, is backing Mark Levine for NYC comptroller. Teamsters 237 President Gregory Floyd said: “Mark has spent his whole career fighting to improve the lives of the hardworking people of New York City. He understands the needs of people who keep our NYCHA apartments, public schools, and hospitals, CUNY campuses, and homeless shelters safe and running. We know that he will work around the clock to ensure that New York City will become a fairer, safer, and more affordable place for working people like our Teamsters 237 members.”
Levine has also been endorsed by several other unions, including Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 1; 1199SEIU; District Council 37; Actors’ Equity Association; Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union (RWDSU); International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District 9; IBEW; and Workers United. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) endorsed Justin Brannan for comptroller. “Justin Brannan has a strong track record of fighting for nurses throughout this City,” said NYSNA First Vice President and nurse at NYC Health+Hospitals/Woodhull Dr. Judith Cutchin. “As Finance Chair, Justin stood with NYSNA as we fought for more good nursing jobs and safe staffing in our Health+Hospitals system. When nurses were fighting big employers and corporate interests, Justin Brannan had our backs. Brannan stood with us when we fought for pay equity, and we know he will continue to fight for the needs of our communities.”
Some of Brannan’s many endorsements are from 32BJ SEIU; the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC); PSC/CUNY; the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA); the United Auto Workers Region 9A; the Uniformed EMS Officers Union Local 3621; the EMS workers union, Local 2507; and Transport Workers Union Local 100.