Labor$lap makes for unhappy ‘Families’

ALBANY — The Working Families Party, which is supporting Bernie Sanders for President, has lost the financial backing of several of the state’s biggest unions. The rifts mostly began in 2014 over disagreements regarding Gov. Cuomo’s reelection and have continued through this year’s presidential primaries. Most of the state’s big unions are supporting Hillary Clinton.

Many of the unions kept their disinvestment from the Working Families Party quiet for more than a year.

The powerful Service Employees International Union Local 1199 withdrew its funding and membership in late 2014.

“We are not an affiliate. We are not paying dues,” said Helen Schaub, 1199’s state director of policy and legislation.

The Hotel Trades Council also cut its formal ties, union President Peter Ward confirmed. “It’s not a political party, it’s really become a lobby operation,” Ward groused.

In addition, the city United Federation of Teachers is no longer providing financial backing, though it is working with the party on several smaller races, a UFT source said. Trying to downplay the defections, the party says it is still growing. “The Working Families Party has recently picked up new affiliates and expanded to 10 other states,” said WFP state Director Bill Lipton. “And the success of the Sanders campaign shows broad and deep support for our bold, progressive program.”

Among the unions still aligned with the influential third party are the Communications Workers of America and the New York State Nurses Association, which are supporting Sanders, and SEIU 32BJ and the state teachers union, which are with Clinton.

The rift between the WFP and some of its most powerful financial backers began in 2014 when party activists wanted to back then-little-known Fordham law Prof. Zephyr Teachout over Cuomo, who they said was not progressive enough.

But many of the unions had close dealings with Cuomo.

Ultimately, the WFP gave its backing to Cuomo, but not before Mayor de Blasio intervened on his behalf and the governor promised to push for a number of the party’s priorities.

The bad feelings from the fight never dissipated, and 1199 and the hotel workers union cut ties with the party soon after the election.

“I don’t want to run your party, but for you to think we shouldn’t be an important voice on the day-to-day events inside the party is crazy,” Ward said.

Added Schaub: “We made a strategic decision. Obviously we feel like we’ve worked very effectively with the governor to get things done, like the (recent) $15 minimum wage.”

She said the union will still work with the party on issues of shared interest.

But WFP leaders had no real role in the recent push to raise the minimum wage and enact a paid family leave program, an effort that heavily involved 1199.

Several union officials also charged that the WFP this year reworked the endorsement process in a way that rigged it for Sanders with the hopes that its work on behalf of the Vermont senator would help the party raise money and increase membership. The unions that remain argue the party will play a critical role mobilizing the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

“While we may differ occasionally on a specific candidate, like Hillary Clinton, we are fully invested and really believe in that advocacy,” said 32BJ spokeswoman Elaine Kim.

Bob Master, CWA’s political director and state WFP co-chairman, said his union’s national president “is redoubling the commitment to the WFP and increasing our financial commitment.” After state Senate Republicans in the new budget gave Cuomo his top two priorities — a $15 minimum wage and creation of a statewide paid family leave program — some suggested the governor would stay on the sidelines in the upcoming battle for control of the Senate.

With just a day to go before a crucial Senate special election on Long Island, the results are mixed. Cuomo early on endorsed Todd Kaminsky, the Democrat in the race, but has not campaigned for him. Cuomo and the state Democratic committee he controls also donated more than $100,000 combined to Kaminsky since April 4 even as 1199, which helped with the fight for the wage hike, endorsed Republican Chris McGrath in the race.