Monterey/Santa Cruz Building & Construction Trades Council (MSCBCTC) announces endorsements for November 5th Election!
MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Joe Thompson
Political Director, MSCBCTC
Monterey/Santa Cruz Building & Construction Trades Council (MSCBCTC) announces endorsements for November 5th Election!
Santa Cruz and Monterey County: Today, October 7th, 2024, the affiliated unions that form the Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council announced local endorsements for the upcoming November 5th general election.
The following candidates were endorsed because of their support for working families and their eagerness to fight alongside our membership for Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). Here’s what they had to say:
Melinda Orbach, endorsed candidate for Capitola City Council stated, “If elected, I will fight for policies that will improve the health and wellbeing of this community, drawing from my experiences as a working mother, health care provider, and union steward.”
Dustin Lopez, endorsed candidate for Scotts Valley City Council shared, “Project Labor Agreements/Community Workforce Agreements ensure both sides are held accountable. [PLAs] ensure wages are fair, healthcare & retirement are provided, and that everything is done safely to avoid injury. It gives workers an enforceable contract for employers that may be abusive. For developers, or anyone else on the other side of the agreement, it ensures the work is done by skilled and trained laborers, and that the work is held to a higher standard.”
Dionne Ybarra, endorsed candidate for Pacific Grove Mayor added, “My first experience as a teenager was union picketing when I worked at Lucky in 1987 and there was a grape boycott. The store was in Watsonville. NO ONE crossed the picket line. As a teenager this left the biggest impression on me to see
the power of a picket line!”
Jennifer Zanzot, endorsed candidate for Salinas City Elementary School district, said “During my time teaching I was active in the local teacher’s union, Salinas Elementary Teachers Council, and served as a site rep, an officer, and on the negotiating team…there is more power for workers, united, and [PLAs] provide better working conditions and benefits for all.”
The following candidates and measures earned the endorsement of the Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council:
Kamala Harris - President of the United States | Tim Walz - Vice President of the United States
Adam Schiff - U.S. Senate
Zoe Lofgren - U.S. Representative, District 18 | Jimmy Panetta - U.S. Representative, District 19
John Laird - State Senate, District 17 | Gail Pellerin - State Assembly, District 28
Rob Rivas - State Assembly, District 29 | Dawn Addis - State Assembly, District 30
Kristen Brown - Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 2
Monica Martinez - Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 5
Vanessa Qurioz-Carter - Watsonville City Council |Eduardo Montensino - Watsonville City Council
Dustin Lopez - Scotts Valley City Council |Mercedes Molloy - Scotts Valley City Council
John Lewis - Scotts Valley City Council
Melinda Orbach - Capitola City Council | Gerry Jensen - Capitola City Council
Chris Barrera - Salinas Mayor | Cary Swenson - Salinas City Council, District 3
Orlando Osornio - Salinas City Council, District 4 |Anthony Rocha - Salinas City Council, District 6
Karla Lobo - Seaside Mayor | Alexis Garcia-Arrazola - Seaside City Council
David Pacheo - Seaside City Council | Mike Moeller - Marina City Council, District 3
Dave Potter - Carmel Mayor
Stephanie Garcia - Greenfield City Council, District 1
Dionne Ybarra - Pacific Grove Mayor | Chaps Ponduri - Pacific Grove City Council
Luke Kilpatrick - Sand City City Council
Tyller Williamson - Monterey Mayor
Eric Palmer - Monterey City Council, District 3 | Gino Garcia - Monterey City Council District 4
Martha Chavarria - North Monterey County School Board Trustee, District 1
Chelsea Lenowska - Monterey Peninsula College District Board of Governors, Trustee Area 3
Gabriel Medina - PVUSD School Board Trustee, District 3
Adam Scow - PVUSD School Board Trustee, District 6
Mitali Hindia Weiglein - Scotts Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees
Jennifer Zanzot - Salinas City Elementary School District Board Trustee, Area 2
Sara Perez - Salinas City Elementary School District Trustee Area 4
Mitchell Huerta - Salinas Union High School District Board of Trustees, Area 2
Javier Galvan - Soledad Unified School District
Mary-Lynne Bernald - West Valley Mission Community College District Board of Trustees, Area 5
Alina Layng & Bryan Largay - Director Seat on the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board of Directors
Jonathan Ahmadi - Monterey Peninsula Airport District Board, Division 1
Measures:
Santa Cruz County:
Measure Q - Santa Cruz County Water and Wildfire Protection Initiative - Support
Measure R - Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County Bond - Support
Measure U - San Lorenzo Water District Rate Initiative - Oppose
Measure V - City of Watsonville Charter Amendment - Support
Measure Y - City of Capitola Sales Tax - Support
Monterey County:
Measure AA - Transactions and Use Tax – Support