NEW YORK – On November 7, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 leaders endorsed Costa Constantinides as the next Borough President, in recognition of a career fighting for fair wages and good benefits for Queens workers.

Local 1500 is the first major union to endorse in the Queens Borough President’s race. Members of the state’s largest UFCW local gathered outside of Key Food in Oakland Gardens, Queens, to throw their support behind Constantinides.

“For over a decade Costa Constantinides has been a true champion leading the fight to raise living standards for all families throughout the City of New York,” said Tony Speelman, President of UFCW Local 1500. “His vision has always included an agenda that is comprehensive of all New Yorkers. Whether it’s fighting to save his local supermarket or pushing for better climate protections, Costa will stand up vigorously for all New Yorkers. It is because of his tenacity, especially when it comes to supporting the labor movement, that UFCW Local 1500 is proud to endorse Costa for Queens Borough President,” Speelman concluded.

“UFCW Local 1500 embodies the spirit of the labor movement with its tireless advocacy for Queens’ supermarket workers,” said Costa Constantinides, Democrat for Queens Borough President, who currently serves in the New York City Council. “Together over the last decade we have built a partnership dedicated to preserving these jobs, which are a pathway to the middle class, and creating new ones. It is humbling to receive their endorsement, and I will continue our great partnership to Transform Queens into a fairer place for all.”

“Costa has been a true friend to Labor and a tireless advocate for all hard-working families in the City of New York,” said Robert W. Newell Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 1500. “We are excited to support him and look forward to helping him get elected to the position of Queens Borough President,” Newell concluded.

Local 1500, with 19,000 members in the Greater New York area, in 2012 was the first union to endorse Constantinides’ run for City Council District 22. Constantinides has fought alongside Local 1500 to protect good jobs for supermarket workers in western Queens, because they provide a pathway into the middle class. Together, they continue fighting to save a Key Food in Astoria from closure, which would mean the loss of dozens of local jobs for western Queens residents.

Constantinides has long advocated for organized labor, which provides good jobs with fair conditions for hard-working New Yorkers. Last October, he introduced a City Council resolution in support of the #CountMeIn movement. The Climate Mobilization Act, a Green New Deal for New York City that he shepherded through the legislature, is expected to create 141,000 good jobs over the next decade. And last week, Constantinides pledged to create 50,000 good green jobs by 2030.

Costa Constantinides currently serves in the New York City Council, where he represents western Queens and chairs the Committee on Environmental Protection. His legislative accomplishments include the Climate Mobilization Act, a Green New Deal for New York City, as well as the historic 80% reduction by 2050 of carbon emissions commitment. Costa lives in his native Astoria with his wife and son.
For more information, visit: www.votecosta.com.