New York Hotel Workers Union Endorses Gulluscio for City Council - Over 600 Members Pledge to Work Hard in Queens Special Election...

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Contact: Neal Kwatra (917) 337-7661

January 29, 2009

New York Hotel Workers Union Endorses Gulluscio for City Council

Over 600 Members Pledge to Work Hard in Queens Special Election

NEW YORK – The New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO (HTC), a 30,000-member union, today announced its endorsement of Frank Gulluscio for New York City Council in the 32^nd District. The union plans an aggressive field program to communicate with its members and recruit volunteers for the campaign.

The special election to fill the vacancy in the 32^nd District has been scheduled for February 24. The district includes Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and parts of the Rockaways.

“For years, Frank Gulluscio has been a fighter for quality jobs and responsible development in Queens,” said HTC President Peter Ward. “In these perilous times, when thousands of New Yorkers are losing their jobs and facing hardships we haven’t seen since the Great Depression, the 32^nd District needs a leader like Mr. Gulluscio on the City Council. He has the experience and commitment to be a leader in the fight for economic recovery that will lift the bottom up and provide genuine stability for working families,” Ward said.

The union’s decision was based on Gulluscio’s strong record as a community leader and his record as an advocate for issues of concern to its members. Gulluscio’s many years of service as District Manager for Queens Community Board 6 and a Democratic Party leader have given him a deep understanding of how to represent the diverse issues that make a difference to district residents, such as over-development, quality jobs, and affordable housing.

“Families in Queens need to have someone with Frank Gulluscio’s commitment to quality jobs, responsible development, and equitable economic recovery fighting for us on the City Council,” said Doris Gomez, an HTC member and Howard Beach resident who works at the Doubletree Hotel at JFK Airport. “He has worked hard for the people of this community for years,” continued Gomez. “As a union member and Queens resident, I am proud that we are supporting Frank Gulluscio to be our next councilmember.”

“I am so proud to have the support of the Hotel Trades Council and its members,” said council candidate Frank Gulluscio. “With the power of working people behind this campaign, we will truly be able to deliver on our mission of create a voice for working families on the City Council in this period of economic recovery. I am confident that, working with HTC and the members in my district, we can ensure that our community comes out of this economic crisis stronger and more vibrant than it was before,” Mr. Gulluscio said.

HTC has 30,000 members in the metropolitan area, including 12,000 in Queens and 600 in the 32^nd Council District. It is New York State’s second-largest private-sector labor union. A few weeks ago, HTC was the first union to endorse Julissa Ferreras in the 21^st Council District race.