By Hank Russell
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is running for governor against Kathy Hochul, recently picked up an endorsement from Steamfitters Local 638 for his gubernatorial campaign.
According to its website, Steamfitters Local 638 maintains jurisdiction over all general pipe fitting in New York City and Long Island and is a combination local union representing the Construction Branch and the Metal Trades Service Branch. The union represents thousands of skilled tradespeople across New York City and Long Island — including industrial welders, HVAC-R technicians, and life-safety sprinkler fitters who build and maintain the state’s vital infrastructure.
“I am honored to earn the endorsement of Steamfitters Local 638—the hard-working tradespeople who keep New York running every single day,” Blakeman said. “For too long under Kathy Hochul, working-class New Yorkers have watched high taxes and a failing economy send good-paying union jobs to other states while making everyday life unaffordable for the families who stay. When I’m governor, we are going to reverse that trend and build an affordable, prosperous New York with organized labor at the forefront.”
Blakeman’s campaign said the endorsement reflects growing frustration among blue-collar workers over Hochul’s economic record, which has saddled New Yorkers with the highest tax burden in the nation, 48 utility rate increases, pro-criminal policies driven by cashless bail, and an economic climate that continues to drive businesses and jobs out of the state.
“Our members don’t just work in New York — we live here, raise our children here, and want to build a secure future here,” said Robert “Bobby” Bartels, Jr., the business manager of Steamfitters Local 638 UA. “Bruce Blakeman shares our vision for a state where parents can afford their energy bills, feel safe in their communities, and count on good-paying jobs that stay right here in New York. We need a governor who focuses on improving everyday life for working-class families while expanding development and protecting union jobs. Bruce Blakeman will be that governor.”
Blakeman has received other blue-collar union endorsements, including Transit Workers Union (TWU) Local 106 and Local 252. The joint endorsement comes from the largest union of front-line supervisors across the NYC Transit Authority Department of Buses, MTA Bus, and subways, along with Long Island’s transit operators and school bus drivers, according to Blakeman’s campaign.
Despite picking up these endorsements, Hochul has held an advantage during this race, with support coming from 32BJ SEIU, Civil Service Employees Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and IATSE District 10, among others.
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the Hochul campaign for comment.
“Governor Hochul comes from a union family and has always stood up for workers, created good-paying union jobs, and fought for better pay and working conditions,” said Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki. “She’s proud to have earned the support of HTC, 32BJ SEIU, DC37, CSEA, RWDSU, Unite Here Local 100, LiUNA’s Eastern Region & New England Region, 1199 SEIU, IUOE 825, CWA District 1, Actors Equity, Musicians Local 802, IATSE District 10, New York State AFL-CIO, and NYSUT, who can’t trust ‘100% MAGA’ Blakeman to protect their rights, safeguard their healthcare, or bring down their costs.”