Councilman Ben Kallos has scored an endorsement from a 20,000-strong union for his Manhattan borough president run.
The New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters and Joiners of America and its nine local chapters gave its seal of approval on Monday.
“When the carpenters stood up to irresponsible developers who would put workers in dangerous situations just to make a buck, Council Member Ben Kallos was there and he will continue to stand with us to protect workers and residents alike as the next Manhattan Borough President,” the union’s executive secretary Joseph Geiger said in a statement.
Kallos passed a bill requiring the city to track and publish a full list of deaths and injuries at construction sites in 2017. Companies that fail to report deaths face steep fines. He also co-sponsored legislation requiring safety training on construction sites.
The councilman previously got endorsements from the New York Professional Nurses Union, Communications Workers of America Local 1101, Steamfitters Local 638 and others.
“Our Carpenters build everything that makes our city so great from our high rises to our docks, from the cabinets to the floor, and even keep our industry working,” Kallos said in a statement. “We have worked together over the years to protect workers throughout our city and it would be my honor to continue representing them and working families throughout our city as the next Manhattan Borough President.”