District Council 37, the largest municipal workers union in New York City, opposed the New York State AFL-CIO’s endorsement of Democratic House candidate Brad Lander. The opposition from the union helped prevent Lander, the former New York City comptroller, from securing the federation’s official backing during its meeting in Albany.
The disagreement stems from Lander's actions during his tenure as city comptroller. District Council 37 (DC 37) President Henry Garrido stated in an interview that the union was angered by a December 2025 audit by Lander that recommended dissolving New York City’s Health Insurance Stabilization Fund. Additionally, the union and Lander disagreed over a proposal to move city retirees to a Medicare Advantage Plan, which DC 37 supported and Lander opposed.
Lander’s campaign spokesperson, Lauren Hitt, defended his record, citing his support for workers at companies such as Starbucks, Amazon, and eBay. Hitt noted that Lander recently joined picket lines for nurses, teachers, and food service workers, and that he supports federal legislation to address unfair labor practices. Despite the lack of an AFL-CIO endorsement, Lander’s campaign stated he received support from several individual unions, including the United Auto Workers and Communications Workers of America.
The New York State AFL-CIO, an umbrella organization representing approximately 3,000 unions, requires a two-thirds majority for a candidate to receive an official endorsement. The federation also placed a potential endorsement for Darializa Avila Chevalier on hold. Avila Chevalier recently defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic primary. Garrido indicated he intends to meet with Avila Chevalier before the union decides on its position.
For union members and voters, the tension centers on specific policy disagreements regarding health care and retirement benefits. DC 37 represents municipal workers and retirees who are affected by changes to the Health Insurance Stabilization Fund and Medicare Advantage transitions. The lack of a unified labor front means that while individual unions like the UAW or 32BJ SEIU may provide resources, the candidates will not have the collective weight of the AFL-CIO's multi-union apparatus behind them as they approach the November elections.
The situation reflects how public sector unions may use their power to block candidates who have previously challenged union-backed fiscal or benefit structures. With the general election scheduled for November 2026, labor leaders such as Jen Gaboury of PSC-CUNY expressed concern that the lack of consensus could hinder efforts to present a united front. The next steps involve further meetings between union leadership and candidates like Avila Chevalier to determine if any official endorsements will be issued.