Mark Levine nets building trades’ backing in comptroller bid

Which New York City comptroller wannabe is labor’s pick to oversee the city’s pension funds? It’s getting more difficult to say. 

Justin Brannan, a term-limited City Council member, is backed by heavy-hitters 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, along with the Transport Workers Union and Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association local, as well as the typically left-leaning New York State Nurses Association. Those endorsements give him some of the heftier union support in the race so far.

But Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine announced a new labor nod on Thursday, celebrating an endorsement from the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, his campaign exclusively told City & State. “Mark has consistently stood with working people, advocating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and strengthening organized labor in New York City,” union President Gary LaBarbera said in a statement. “His record speaks for itself, and we are confident that as comptroller, Mark will continue to be a powerful voice for workers in our city.” The union represents 100,000 members in the city, it says.

That adds to Levine’s existing labor endorsements, including from the Communications Workers of America and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union among his previous labor endorsers.

Even two city firefighters’ unions are split in the race, with the larger Uniformed Firefighters Association backing Brannan and the smaller Uniformed Fire Officers Association giving their nod to Levine.

Brannan and Levine are front-runners in the Democratic primary for the citywide seat that’s often seen as a check on city government.