Special to the Gazette
Two large unions whose members build and maintain our city, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 and the United Steelworkers Local 12003, have endorsed Erin Murphy to be Boston’s next At-Large City Councilor, adding to the strength Erin has demonstrated among working families as the November 2 election draws closer.
The two unions chose Erin’s commitment to growing the middle class, fair wages and labor practices, and making Boston an affordable, inclusive city for all families in all neighborhoods.
“We can’t imagine a better choice to represent our members’ interests than Erin,” said Roger Brunelle, Political Director of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 (IUPAT DC 35). “She taught in the Boston Public Schools for 22 years, where she worked with many of our members, and she embodies our values. Erin’s a hard worker with a natural empathy for working folks, and we know she’ll bring that same ethic to City Hall.”
“Erin raised her family in Boston as a single mother and she knows what matters to our members, because they’re the same things that matter to her,” said Danny O’Connell, President of the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 12003. “She’s been a community advocate and a teacher, two skill sets we could use a little more of in our elected officials these days. Her efforts to reach out to every constituency in every neighborhood bode very well for the type of At-Large City Councilor she will be.”
Erin finished fourth in a crowded field of 17 in the September 14 preliminary election, and has continued to amass support in the weeks since, with a recent surge reflecting her citywide appeal. Her outreach has extended to every neighborhood in the city, the same energy she would bring to the City Council.
“I’m so proud to receive the endorsements from IUPAT DC 35 and USW Local 12003, because I know how hard these folks work making Boston what it is,” Erin said. “When I was a teacher in the Boston Public Schools, I was lucky enough to work alongside IUPAT members who were school custodians. Everyone knows you’ve got to be friends with the custodians! They’re the people who keep our schools running, and it’s very satisfying to have their support.”
With less than a month before the November 2 municipal election, the chorus of union support represents the latest sign of Erin’s rising support across the city. But the campaign has been gathering steam all year, with a string of high-profile endorsements and a surge in grassroots support and volunteerism across the city. Erin has also been endorsed by, among others, US Representative Stephen F. Lynch, activist and mentor and former At-Large candidate Said Abdikarim, State Senator Nick Collins, State Representatives Dan Hunt, Michael J. Moran, Ed Coppinger, Dan Ryan, and David Biele, City Councilors Frank Baker and Ed Flynn, and former City Councilor Sal LaMattina, Register of Deeds Stephen J. Murphy, Teamsters Union Local 25, AFSCME Council 93 (which represents Boston municipal employees), the Massachusetts Nurses Association, Boston Firefighters Local 718, Laborers Local 223, the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, and Boston EMS.
A lifelong Dorchester resident, Erin has centered her campaign around being Boston’s go-to call at City Hall.
Erin’s vision for Boston and her campaign are built on her core beliefs:
Thriving, best-in-class public schools for every student in every neighborhood
A friendlier city for seniors, with a more compassionate policy focus
Stronger outreach to veterans, out of respect for their service and supporting their needs
Safer streets and policing across the City, prioritizing community policing
A firm plan to relieve the crisis at Mass & Cass that respects all stakeholder
Reducing income inequality by promoting good jobs for all Bostonians