by JOE ESKENAZI JULY 16, 2024, 2:17 PM (MissionLocal.org)
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The SEIU 1021, by far San Francisco’s largest union, has voted to endorse Aaron Peskin for mayor — and only Aaron Peskin.
The outcome of the lengthy process was revealed to union members and candidates over the weekend. More than two-thirds of voting members chose to sole-endorse Peskin, Mission Local has learned.
The Service Employees International Union No. 1021 represents some 16,000 San Francisco workers and more than 60,000 across Northern California. The union has a long history of putting both money and volunteers toward its preferred political causes.
“It’s a big shot in the arm and very heartening,” said Peskin. “Obviously we hope it will influence a lot of other unions in San Francisco and will result in more volunteers for our campaign.”
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The sole Peskin endorsement is a disappointment for mayoral candidate Ahsha Safaí; the labor stalwart introduced a ballot measure aimed at improving recruitment and retention of unionized 911 operators and nurses by bolstering their pension benefits. It is also a suboptimal outcome for Mayor London Breed, who engineered labor peace during her re-election bid by cutting generous union deals while the city faces a deep deficit.
“She gave them what they wanted,” said a veteran city political operative. “They did not give her what she wanted.”
The SEIU in 2018 endorsed Jane Kim as its No. 1 for mayor, with London Breed ranked No. 2 and Mark Leno ranked No. 3. The sole endorsement this year, however, greatly simplifies the union’s ability to potentially put money into an Independent Expenditure campaign. David Canham, SEIU 1021’s executive director, said the decision on how to invest in potentially backing the union’s chosen candidate is a discussion that is forthcoming.
The SEIU 1021 is the largest and most well-resourced union with the constellation of this city’s labor council. But labor observers felt that it would be unlikely for all of labor to unite behind Peskin, even with SEIU backing. The Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents 27 local unions in those fields, has endorsed Safaí and Mark Farrell, and would likely block any such efforts.
“Mayor Breed and Supervisor Safaí have had a good relationship with SEIU,” said Peskin. “So I was pleased they acknowledged the fact I’ve been with them since Day One.”
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JOE ESKENAZI
Managing Editor/Columnist. Joe was born in San Francisco, raised in the Bay Area, and attended U.C. Berkeley. He never left.
“Your humble narrator” was a writer and columnist for SF Weekly from 2007 to 2015, and a senior editor at San Francisco Magazine from 2015 to 2017. You may also have read his work in the Guardian (U.S. and U.K.); San Francisco Public Press; San Francisco Chronicle; San Francisco Examiner; Dallas Morning News; and elsewhere.
He resides in the Excelsior with his wife and three (!) kids, 4.3 miles from his birthplace and 5,474 from hers.
The Northern California branch of the Society of Professional Journalists named Eskenazi the 2019 Journalist of the Year.More by Joe Eskenazi
