Early labor endorsements in 2025 Jersey City mayoral race
By David Wildstein, November 22 2023 2:33 pm
The two announced candidates for mayor of Jersey City in 2025 won labor union endorsements this week, with two Teamsters locals backing Bill O’Dea and the Laborers’ union endorsing Jim McGreevey.
“Bill has answered our calls when we needed him, when we had issues with contractors when they tried to circumvent agreements,” said Nick Jayme,” the Local 560 business agent. “This is the man that helped us.”
O’Dea pledged to fully enforce project labor agreements if he becomes the next mayor.
“If you’re a member of Teamsters 560, you don’t have a job, you have a career – a career for the rest of your life, and you’re going to be able to raise a family,” O’Dea said. “I look forward, as mayor, to be able to expand on programs to create more opportunities.”
O’Dea, a former Jersey City councilman and a county commissioner for the last 26 years, entered the race for mayor last week.
McGreevey, a former governor, is also running for mayor. Yesterday, he was endorsed by the Laborers’ International Union of North America, which has 500 members living in Jersey City.
“LIUNA’s early and enthusiastic endorsement – the first by any union in the state – demonstrates the union’s steadfast belief that Jim McGreevy is the right type of leader to build a Jersey City that works for all residents,” said Michael Hellstrom, the LIUNA vice president and eastern regional manager.
Three-term Mayor Steve Fulop announced in January that he won’t seek re-election. Instead, he is a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
