New York’s Staten Island. According to information obtained by the Advance/SILive.com on Tuesday, a Staten Island Ferry workers’ union recently made an early endorsement in the city comptroller contest.
Roland Rexha, secretary-treasurer of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA), submitted a letter to Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) on Monday, expressing the union’s support for his candidacy as the city’s next comptroller.
“You are the obvious choice for this important office because of your unwavering commitment to working families, organized labor, and responsible financial management,” Rexha stated in the letter. The M.E.B.A. is pleased to back you in this campaign because we know that you will be a steadfast champion for economic justice, budgetary discipline, and the dignity of working people in your role as comptroller.
Rexha gave Brannan credit for his efforts as the chair of the City Council Finance Committee, which helped the union, which had been without a contract for more than 12 years, land one.
According to data from the New York City Campaign Finance Board, Brannan and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine have raised the most money thus far out of the six candidates vying to succeed Comptroller Brad Lander, who is also seeking the mayoralty.
Due to their similar district locations, Brannan was reported to be a potential candidate to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), but a congressional run for Brannan never materialized.
According to the New York Daily News, Brannan also received two significant union endorsements on Monday from the Transportation Workers Union and Teamsters Local 831.
He declared on Tuesday that his comptrollership will prioritize the defense of labor unions.
“I will always defend the rights of hardworking New Yorkers and stand in solidarity with labor unions. According to Brannan, the men and women of M.E.B.A. put in a lot of effort to ensure that residents of Staten Island may travel to and from Manhattan. After ten years of working without a contract, I was pleased to have had a little role in securing one for them. I’ll make sure our municipal government puts in just as much effort on their behalf, whether it means fighting for fair contracts, respectable pay, job security, or better benefits.”
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