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Reston, Va. (April 25, 2022) - More union affiliates of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) endorsed the Franchot/Anderson-Walker campaign at a campaign rally in Fort Washington, expanding the campaign's union support.
The additional LIUNA endorsements came from two LIUNA District Councils and five LIUNA Local Unions that collectively represent thousands of workers in Maryland. Endorsements came from the Baltimore-Washington Laborers' District Council, West Virginia and Appalachian Laborers' District Council, LIUNA Local 11, LIUNA Local 572, LIUNA Local 710, LIUNA Local 616 and LIUNA Local 202R.
These LIUNA affiliates join LIUNA Mid-Atlantic Region, one of the first unions to endorse Franchot in February 2021.
"I am so grateful to have the support of LIUNA's Mid-Atlantic Region and now the support of the Maryland LIUNA District Councils and Local Unions," said Peter Franchot, Maryland Comptroller and Gubernatorial Candidate. "I believe deeply that trade unions are a vital path to the middle class. It was so special to have supporters who have been with the campaign from the start, as well as more recent supporters who have joined as we continue to build momentum, all in one place to commemorate how far we have come and how far we will go together. This was such a great opportunity to build up the energy to take us across the finish line."
LIUNA representatives spoke to the campaign's labor and economic plans as well as Franchot's and running mate Monique Anderson-Walker's career histories of supporting Maryland's working families.
"We don't need resume builders," said Dennis L. Martire, LIUNA Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager. "We need people like Peter and Monique who are going to get up every day, roll up their sleeves and help working families get ahead in Maryland."
"When Monique was elected to the Prince George's County Council, she let them know that the special interests were going to have to take a backseat to the interests of working people," said Dennis Desmond, representative of the Baltimore-Washington Laborers' District Council.
"Peter has used his seat on the Board of Public Works to bring much-needed reform to Maryland's procurement system," said Jessie King, Business Manager of the West Virginia and Appalachian Laborers' District Council. "Thanks to his leadership, there has been a significant reduction in single-bid contracts, higher participation from minority-owned and women-owned enterprises and increased accountability and transparency in the manner in which state contractors use money."
"We are ready to do our part to bring home a win," said Chris Jarquin, representative of LIUNA Local 710.
"Yes we can, sí se puede, we are team Franchot all the way," said Sonia Vasquez Luna, Business Manager of LIUNA Local 572.
"Peter Franchot is going to ensure that we get the union jobs, good projects, living wages, retirement and healthcare that we need," said Ernest Ojito, Business Manager of LIUNA Local 202R.