Organized Labor

Mayor Gavin Newsom won an early endorsement from the San Francisco Building Trades Council in his bid for re-election. Delegates voted Dec 7 to endorse Newsom after a discussion of Newsom’s support for labor and the value of endorsing him at the early stage of the campaign. Delegates were supportive of the Mayor, with some asking that he come before the Council to talk about the issues and answer questions.

So far, no candidate has emerged to challenge Newsom, who enjoys popular support and an 80 percent approval rating. Potential candidates have until next August to file in the Mayor’s race. While Newsom has the advantage of being a popular incumbent, and may garner more early endorsements, challengers will be able to qualify for funding through the City’s new system of public financing for mayoral candidates.

There has been speculation in the press about who might run against the Mayor, including former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez, who narrowly lost to Newsom in 2003. Gonzalez has been vague about his intentions. Superviors Ross Mirkarimi, who ran Gonzalez’s campaign, and Aaron Peskin, have also been mentioned but have so far declined. Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who ran in 2003, is expected to run for State Assembly when current Assemblymember Mark Leno is termed out. Former Supervisor Tony Hall and former Mayor Art Agnos may run.

SFBCTC Secretary-Treasurer Mike Theriault praised Newsom and said, “There’s no doubt that this Mayor has been good to us and will continue to be good to us. He’s straightforward.” Theriault and Executive Board member Larry Mazzola argued for the early endorsement as a way to show strong support for Newsom. They said that the building trades endorsement was coveted and sought out by candidates.

Newsom was supported by labor in his 2003 campaign and has been supportive of labor issues. Last summer he supported the SF Labor Council in passing an ordinance (authored by Ammiano) to mandate that SF employers fund a program to provide health care for all San Franciscans. Newsom also stood on the side of hotel workers who were locked out by hotel corporations after a one-week walk-out in 2004. He helped in mediating the dispute. As a supporter of development in the City, Newsom has helped keep building trades members employed.

Newsom won the building trades endorsement in 2003 because of his positive track record on labor issues as a member of the Board of Supervisors. As Organized Labor noted then, “He has supported public works projects in the City that have both improved our infrastructure and provided thousands of construction jobs for our members, such as the Third Street Light Rail Project. He supported the bond issue, Prop A, which provided funding for the much-needed Hetch Hetchy renovations, and has encouraged the SFPUC to implement a project labor agreement. Newsom has also supported the impressive buildup in the Mission Bay district and the new UCSF Campus, including the new Giant’s ballpark. He has supported zoning and land use proposals that have provided thousands of new units of both market rate and affordable housing, such as the new zoning for higher density housing on Rincon Hill and the waterfront. Gavin’s policies have helped revitalize the employment base of the City of San Francisco and have helped rebuild our housing stock.”

The Mayor has already been endorsed by Plumbers Local 38, as well as the Teamsters Joint Council 7.

     – Paul Burton