State Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Gerritsen Beach, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gravesend and parts of Midwood, Borough Park, Sheepshead Bay) may continue to be the bane of local Dems and large segments of the city’s media, but he remains the friend of one of the Democratic Party’s staunchest allies – that of public sector labor.
That after the District Council 37 (DC37), the city’s largest public employee union with 127,000 members strong endorsed Golden today. The lawmakers is also on the Conservative, and Independence ballot lines.
“City workers keep New York working, and I’m grateful for their endorsement,” said Golden. “DC 37 members are in health care, mass transit, child care, schools and colleges, infrastructure maintenance, courts, construction, and in agency offices. We depend on them, and I’m proud to be their voice in Albany.”
In their endorsement, Jeremy John, DC 37’s Political Action Director, shared: “Our members live and work within your Senate District, and they play a vital role in maintaining the quality of life for our city’s neighborhoods.”
Golden’s Chief of Staff, Jerry Kassar, noted that Golden has been getting DC37’s nod since he was first elected to the state senate in 2002.
“He [Golden] is obviously a city legislator and he has always been very labor oriented,” said Kassar. “He is chair of the senate’s Government Employees Civil Service Committee and he relates to their issues. He has regular discussions relating to DC37 issues and they interact very comfortably. It is never a stretch to get their support and they are very helpful not only with their endorsement, but in helping to get out support during the election.”
Kassar said that while Golden cannot always get the union everything they want, he always explains to them why something can’t happen, and on the whole remains a strong advocate for them. One example was a few years ago, when they closed the OTB brick and mortar storefronts and a lot of DC37 workers in OTB was laid off. Marty worked tirelessly to make sure these workers retained certain medical and other benefits, recalled Kassar.
Ross Barkan and Andrew Gounardes, who are running against each other in the Democratic Primary for the right to challenge Golden in the 22nd Senate District Nov. 6 general election, both gave a collective shrug to the endorsement.
“We are building the movement to defeat Marty Golden. That is our only focus,” said Barkan.
Gounardes did not return requests for comment.
