1199 SEIU ends longtime deal with Senate Republicans

Laura Nahmias

ALBANY—For the first time in more than a decade, the State Senate Republicans isn't getting any money from the state's powerful health care workers' union at election time.

“We won’t be giving any money to the Republicans,” 1199’s political director Kevin Finnegan told Capital. “We haven’t since the last election cycle. We normally don’t endorse or make contributions until after the session’s over but we are definitely on board with a Democratic-coordinated effort to take back the Senate.”

The union is one of a handful of labor groups, including the United Federation of Teachers, the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Workers’ Union and the Hotel Trades Council, that agreed to form a coalition along with Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and members of the Working Families Party to help Democrats take control of the Senate, which the Republicans have controlled for all but two of the last 50 years.

Cuomo committed to helping Democrats as part of the multi-varied terms of his endorsement deal with the W.F.P. last weekend. The governor and the union coalition will pool resources and create a $10 million fund to spend on Democratic Senate races.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2014/06/8546527/1199-seiu-ends-longtime-deal-senate-republicans