A MESSAGE ON THE 2020 ELECTIONS FROM LOCAL 66 Business Manager Steve Flanagan
Brothers and sisters,
I hope you and your families are safe and well during these unprecedented times. Over the last sixteen months we have all been greatly impacted both personally and professionally. Between the global pandemic that continues to endanger lives and the social unrest that grips our great Nation, there is a lot to be concerned about. However, there has also been positive progress recently that is encouraging. New York State now has the lowest number of COVID-19 infections in the country, a complete turnaround from where we were last year! But stay vigilant…as always, and now more than ever, safety comes first.
That being said, the things that make our union strong have not changed. As the economy shrinks and the Nation becomes more divided it will becomes harder to create good union jobs, and the anti-union forces that exist seek to use these times to attack our rights and way of life. One of our most effective tools in fighting back is through our political action, and our most important duty as union members and citizens is to vote. In 2021 there are County elections on Long Island and elections in the city for all of their offices. Three years ago we successfully fought to change who our State Senators were on Long Island, and those elected officials delivered by growing prevailing wage jobs on private development, expanding the amount of workers that can collectively bargain and stopping efforts from big real estate to eliminate decades old safety regulations. This year, we will have municipal and county races, but almost all of them will play out in November’s General Election. That’s why LiUNA-NY’s political action team spent the last 7 months interviewing almost 300 candidate across Nassau, Suffolk and New York City to determine who will do right by union construction workers. These officials that have received our endorsement on Long Island will be posted on MTDCPAC.com endorsement page after the Primary Elections have been completed. I urge you all to exercise your right to vote and to support the candidates that we know will support our livelihood. I also urge you to vote by mail and to vote early starting June 12. You can download the absentee ballot application online at the websites listed below or pick one up directly at your Board of Elections office.
TO AVOID CONFUSION, THE LONG ISLAND ENDORSMENTS WILL BE POSTED AFTER THE JUNE 22, 2021 PRIMARIES AS THE RACES ON LONG ISLAND WILL PREDOMINANTLY HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER.
