The New Jersey Laborers Union announces its enthusiastic endorsement of councilman, educator, and lifetime Newark resident Ras Baraka for Mayor of Newark. The 20,000 member union includes 1,355 Newark residents and plans to be politically active in this important race.
“Ras Baraka has the right skills to move Newark forward and the right principles to leave no one behind in the process,” said LIUNA Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager Raymond M. Pocino in explaining the union’s endorsement. “We feel confident that Ras Baraka is right for Newark and right for our membership.”
In making its endorsement, the Laborers Union cited LIUNA and Baraka’s shared vision of providing career pathways for Newark residents through pre-apprenticeship/local hire legislation. The union is also in support of Baraka’s jobs plan to leverage Newark’s strengths in education, arts, medicine and port commerce and to increasing the City’s commitment to creating living wage jobs. Ras Baraka has the right priorities to ensure Newark’s future growth benefits Newark residents.
With elections scheduled for May 13th, the Laborers Union will use the next three months ramping up its voter registration and get out the vote operations as well as educating its membership on key issues. Earlier this year, the Union endorsed one of its own members, Newark Housing Authority Board member and labor leader Eddie Osborne, who is running for an at-large council seat. Osborne, a resident of the Central Ward is part of the Baraka Team’s council slate and is honored to work alongside his longtime friend.
“Newark is a place with serious challenges as well as tremendous opportunities,” said Osborne. “We need a leader like Ras Baraka who will work with the community on policies and projects designed for the community. Newark residents deserve a leader like Ras Baraka, a person who believes that a stronger Newark begins and ends with Newark neighborhoods.”
The New Jersey Laborers Union represents workers in various industries, including construction, clean energy, environmental remediation, sanitation and recycling, security, and education. The New Jersey Laborers are widely viewed as having been instrumental in helping to lift living standards and workplace safety for employees and for developing innovative cooperative relationships with employers.