UFCW (United Food & Commercial Workers) Local 1500 has Endorsed Andrew Cuomo for Governor of New York, while UFCW Local 1 has officially announced the Union's endorsement of Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice in her bid for the office of New York State Attorney General.

"Like many in New York State, this is an announcement that the twenty-three-thousand members of UFCW Local 1500 welcome and have eagerly awaited," UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce Both said. "Throughout his career, Andrew Cuomo has been an unwavering supporter of Working Men and Women.  Through his policies, he has shown us all he goes well beyond 'talking the talk,' Andrew Cuomo 'walks the walk.'  He is a man of action, not just empty rhetoric.  We live in difficult political times and New Yorkers are crying out for leadership, direction and hope. That call will be answered by Andrew Cuomo as the next Governor of New York State.  He works hard every day for the average New Yorker and now the members of this Union are going to work hard to see that he is elected the next Governor of New York State."

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, which is based out of Queens Village, represents more than 23,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, King Kullen, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, Fairway, D'agastinos, Key Food, Dairy Barn and Shop Rite.

Meanwhile, UFCW Local One has officially announced the Union's endorsement of Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice in her bid for Attorney General.

"District Attorney Rice's proven record of combating Labor Law Violations and her pledge to visit each county of the state make her a great attorney general candidate for Central and Western New York Workers.  Our twenty-thousand members enthusiastically endorse her," UFCW International Vice President and President of UFCW Local One Frank DeRiso said. 

UFCW Local One's membership stretches some 200 miles from Utica to Buffalo and is relatively young, with about 40% of its members under the age of 30.  They work in retail food stores, meatpacking and poultry, and food processing and manufacturing.

District Attorney Rice said: "I'm so proud that UFCW Local One and its twenty-thousand Upstate Members have put their faith in me to be their next Attorney General.  The diversity of this Union's Membership - urban, suburban and rural - is truly a sign of my dedication to fighting for all New Yorkers."

District Attorney Rice has made Workers' Rights and Labor Issues a centerpiece of her time as District Attorney.  In 2008, District Attorney Rice took on Walmart and their handling of a fatal Black Friday stampede.  District Attorney Rice's investigation eventually forced the retail giant to agree to a series of unprecedented and sweeping safety reforms designed to protect consumers and store workers during similar sales at any of Walmart's nearly 100 New York stores, as well as set up a $1.5 million victims' compensation fund.

In addition to the Walmart settlement, District Attorney Rice started Nassau's first-ever unit focused solely on investigating and prosecuting violations of State and Local Wage Laws, misclassification fraud and low-wage worker exploitation.  District Attorney Rice's Labor Unit has recovered more than $1.4 million in restitution and forfeiture to local governments and workers in Nassau. 

Since announcing her bid for Attorney General this month, District Attorney Rice has also received the support of the 100,000-member Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (RWDSU), EMILY's List, and former AG candidate and United States Attorney Denise O'Donnell.  She has also been endorsed by the Kings, Nassau, Suffolk and Albany County Democratic chairs, as well as those from the upstate counties of Chemung, Greene and Oswego.