Stoney SEIU
Richmond mayoral candidate Levar Stoney attended a rally over the weekend to support raising the minimum wage. The Service Employees International Union endorsed him Monday. (Provided Photo)
An arm of an international labor union announced Monday it has endorsed the local campaign of Richmond mayoral candidate Levar Stoney.
Washington-D.C.-based 32BJ Service Employees International Union praised Stoney’s role in job creation and the restoration of felons’ voting rights while serving as secretary of the commonwealth in Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration, according to a release.
The endorsement comes on the heels of the Fight for $15 national convention held in Richmond this past weekend, which saw thousands of low-wage workers march up Monument Avenue to advocate for raising the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour. Stoney attended the rally and met with demonstrators. He tweeted:
Proud to stand with my @SEIU brothers & sisters at the. #FightFor15 rally in #RVA today. - LS pic.twitter.com/YPrdjxtzv5 — Levar M. Stoney (@LevarStoney), August 13, 2016
The union represents 155,000 property service employees in nine states, including 4,000 in Virginia. It backed McAuliffe's 2013 gubernatorial bid, contributing $689,000 to his campaign, according to campaign finance records made available through the Virginia Public Access Project. It also has donated large sums to other Democrats vying for statewide office, including Creigh Deeds and Tim Kaine.
SEIU's announcement comes as other groups, including the Home Building Association of Richmond and the Richmond Association of Realtors, are holding court with candidates and preparing to make endorsements in the coming days.
