Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Tom Perez wins key endorsements from unions

Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Tom Perez is sewing up support from organized labor, winning endorsements from two large unions for state and local government workers.

AFSCME Council 3, the largest union for state government workers, and AFSCME Council 67, which represents local government workers across the state, have announced they’re backing Perez.

Combined, the councils cover more than 50,000 government workers at more than 800 sites.

In a fiery speech Wednesday to several dozen union members and retirees in Baltimore, Perez said he’d fight for unions and workers. He led brief chants of “Jobs! Justice! Respect!”

“I come to you today with both sobriety and unrelenting optimism,” Perez told the group. “Sobriety born out of the fact that we have endured the unspeakable over the last two years: the pandemic, a democracy recession, unmitigated attacks on the right to vote, leaders who want to stab you in the back.”

Perez recalled the stresses AFSCME members have dealt with during the pandemic, including having to buy their own supplies to work remotely.

“The spine of every agency is you, the dedicated career civil servants, people who put your lives on the line during the pandemic,” Perez said.

He added: “In my administration, you will have a voice, you will have respect. Respect is what it’s all about.”

Perez is one of nine Democrats actively campaigning in the 2022 gubernatorial primary; there are also a handful of Republican candidates. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is term limited and cannot run again.

Perez, who served as both the state and national secretary of labor, is positioning himself as the favored candidate among organized labor.

His campaign counts more than 100 endorsements from various unions including electricians, bricklayers, Verizon workers and grocery store employees.

Winning endorsements from unions helps candidates raise both their profile and campaign funds and allows them to tap into an organized army of union members who can become campaign volunteers. Wednesday’s endorsement announcement featured a table stacked with paraphernalia, including “AFSCME for Perez” posters in the union’s signature green color.

AFSCME leaders said Perez is best positioned to respect the needs of government workers, following several combative years with Hogan.

Glen Middleton, president of AFSCME Council 67, said people “can see through this plastic governor that we have” and are ready for a leader like Perez, who is “awesome, pro-union, pro-worker, pro-family, pro-Marylanders.”

The AFSCME councils sent questionnaires to the announced candidates for governor and invited those who responded for in-person interviews before a panel of union members and leaders. The choice of Perez was unanimous, said Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Council 3.

Moran, who has repeatedly tangled with Hogan, said: “We are ready to usher in a new era of change and action in the governor’s mansion.” AFSCME Council 3 has pushed for increased wages for state employees, and during the pandemic has fought for hazard pay and protective gear for essential workers.

Perez served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 until this year.

He briefly worked this year for the Venable law firm, which was hired to represent the state in lawsuits brought by unemployed workers who challenged the Hogan administration’s decision to end enhanced unemployment benefits early. Perez was not involved in the lawsuits, but resigned from Venable.

In addition to his roles as state and federal labor secretary, he was an assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights. Perez also served a term on the Montgomery County Council.