Ward 3 City Council candidate Hugh Dunn's campaign announced two major endorsements today. Dunn, who was previously endorsed by the New Bedford Firefighters Association IAFF Local 841, has now also been endorsed by the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Central Labor Council, and the Southeastern Massachusetts Cape Cod & Islands Building Trades Council.

“Hugh has been a solid ally for the working families of New Bedford for years," said Cindy Rodrigues, President of the Labor Council. "He understands the issues faced by the workers of New Bedford, and we are confident that he will work diligently to improve their quality of life and to increase the number of good paying jobs in Ward 3.”

Dunn, a former aide to Congressman Bill Keating, worked closely with the Labor Council and the Building Trades Council on various labor and construction trade issues.

"Hugh has a track record of supporting our members in the construction industry," said Jimmy Pimental, Vice President of the Southeastern Mass Cape Cod & Islands Building Trades Council. "We are confident that Hugh’s focus on economic development will bring construction jobs into Ward 3 that is being performed by responsible contractors--and ultimately, long term employment opportunities for its residents.”

The endorsements are a boost to the Dunn campaign as the Labor Council is made up of 42 unions representing over 10,000 workers in the Southeastern Massachusetts area, and the Building Trades Council is made up of  21 unions representing thousands of private sector workers.

“Hugh is a person that has always supported working people, and I’m looking forward to his leadership as my Ward 3 Councillor," said Donald Rei, Vice President of Local 1357 of the United Steelworkers Labor Union and a Ward 3 resident.

Dunn says his passion to support workers comes from his own experiences.

“Before law school, I worked in a factory. During this time, I had fallen ill due to conditions there, and I became part of a successful class action lawsuit against the company, and we prevailed," Dunn said. "The importance of workers' rights is a matter in which I have personal and professional experience. Working families are the foundation on which our economy is built, and protecting workers rights and working to create good paying employment opportunities is what keeps that foundation strong.”

A preliminary Ward 3 special election will be held March 28th to narrow the field down to two candidates, who will then face off in the Ward 3 special election April 25th.

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