Cambridge is a working-class city that values equity and opportunity and must elect leaders who fight for workers. That is why the Greater Boston Labor Council has proudly endorsed Sumbul Siddiqui, Alanna Mallon, Marc McGovern, E. Denise Simmons and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler for City Council. These leaders have the experience and vision to aid our communities as we recover from a pandemic that has fundamentally reshaped our lives.

As we slowly come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become crystal clear that our economy was not on stable ground before Covid-19 began. We need more than business as usual to envision and create a world that is equitable and just. We have a unique and unprecedented opportunity to help families recover from the pandemic and build an equitable economy that works for everyone. With billions of dollars in American Rescue Plan money allotted for Massachusetts, our cities and towns are positioned to lead in our recovery by giving back to the frontline workers who served our communities during these difficult times, to invest in our schools, roads and infrastructure, and to build our public transit. Together with unions, a bold vision for a more equitable economy can become a reality. Together, we can stop the race to the bottom.

Unions are a critical tenet of communities in Cambridge, and workers across the country continue to find strength in unions, with numbers and support for unions growing. Councillors Mallon, McGovern, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler and Mayor Siddiqui are ardent proponents of a pro-worker vision for Cambridge. By grounding their work to benefit working families, they are committed to creating a prosperous future for all.

Our municipal leaders have a tremendous responsibility to help shape our communities and are positioned to pass innovative policies that shape Cambridge. Our cities and towns face some of the most urgent challenges of our lifetimes – from a rapid and expanding climate crisis to racial justice uprisings that demand more than lip service, growing income inequality and ballooning corporate power. Labor’s endorsed candidates in Cambridge understand the urgency of this moment and have always fought for justice.

The Greater Boston Labor Council is more than 100,000 families strong, many of which are Cambridge voters. We represent different backgrounds and career paths, and we all understand the significance of this upcoming election. This is an opportunity for our communities to build back better with opportunity and equity. Working families need the support of our elected leaders, and that starts by standing with our unions.

Candidates Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mallon, Simmons and McGovern will continue to advocate for working families in Cambridge and beyond. A vote for them will be a vote for workers across Cambridge.

Darlene Lombos

Darlene Lombos is executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council and the first woman and person of color to be elected in this top leadership position. The GBLC represents more than 100,000 union members and their families within 24 cities and towns in the region.