(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) - which oversees five individual Labor Councils in Buffalo, Niagara-Orleans, Dunkirk, Jamestown and Cattaraugus-Allegany that combine to represent just under 150,000 Unionized Workers across Western New York – has announced 32 political endorsements that the Labor Federation has made for a number of races across Erie and Niagara Counties.

However, the only race that the WNYALF declined to make an endorsement in is the Buffalo Mayoral Primary, which pits Democratic Incumbent Byron Brown against City Comptroller and former Democratic New York State Assemblyman Mark Schroeder. 

“We will be making ‘no endorsement’ in the Buffalo Democratic Mayoral Primary.  We will make an endorsement ‘after’ the (September) primary,” WNYALF President Richard Lipsitz told WNYLaborToday.com in an interview earlier in the week. “Our process is ‘very important to us’ and in our endorsement process, ‘we need to have two-thirds majority for an endorsement.’  Our ‘final endorsement is based’ on a (candidate achieving a) ‘super majority.”

Of the 32 races the WNYALF has issued endorsements in, a total of 10 feature candidates who are either Union Members, Lipsitz said.  Six of the 10 Union candidates are Members of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Union.

Another, James Lint – who is the husband of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1168 Union Organizer Ann Converso and who is running for a seat on the North Collins Town Board, also received the endorsement of the WNYALF.

“We find this (Union Members running for public office) is a ‘continuing trend that we are seeing,’” Lipsitz told Your On-Line Labor Newspaper.  “Every one of those candidates has a Labor background and many individual Unions have also endorsed them.  And – ‘we intend to work with them to win in their races this Fall.’”

The following is the list of endorsements issued by the WNYALF:

• Erie County Comptroller - Vanessa Glushefski

• Erie County Sheriff – Bernie Tolbert

• Erie County Legislature/2^nd District – April Baskin

• Erie County Legislature/3^rd District – Peter Savage

• Erie County Legislature/4^th District – Kevin Hardwick

• Erie County Legislature/5^th District – Tom Loughran

• Erie County Legislature/7th District – Pat Burke

• Erie County Legislature/9^th District – John Bruso

• Erie County Legislature/3^rd District – Mike Quinn (Ironworkers Local 6 & Labor Attorney)

• Erie County Legislature/10th District – Michelle Schoeneman (NYSUT)

• Amherst Town Supervisor – Brian Kulpa

• Amherst Town Board – Jacqui Berger (United University Professions)

• Cheektowaga Town Board – Jim Rogowski (NYSUT)

• Cheektowaga Town Board – Alice Magierski (Teamsters Local 449)

• Cheektowaga Town Board – Tim Meyers (Teamsters Local 264)

• Town of Evans Council – Mike Schraft

• Hamburg Town Supervisor – Jim Shaw

• Hamburg Town Council – Matt Kibler

• Hamburg Town Council – Beth Farrell (NYSUT)

• Lancaster Town Board – Ron Ruffino

• Lancaster Town Board – John Abraham, Jr. (NYSUT)

• Lancaster Highway Superintendent – Daniel Amatura

• North Collins Town Board – John Mrozek (NYSUT)

• North Collins Town Board – James Lint

• Tonawanda Mayor – Rick Davis

• Tonawanda Town Council – Bill Conrad (NYSUT)

The WNYALF also announced its endorsements for the following Judicial Candidates in Erie and Niagara Counties:

• NYS Supreme Court – Erin Peradotto

• Erie County Court – Susan Eagan

• Erie County Surrogate Court – Acea Mosey

• Buffalo City Court – Andrew LoTempio

• Niagara Falls City Court – Nick Pelosino

• Niagara County Family Court – Erin DeLabio