Local 888’s Committee on Political Action has endorsed four candidates for at-large positions on the Boston City Council. They are:
• Michael Flaherty, an incumbent councilor and one-time candidate for mayor.
• Ruthzee Louijeune, who served as a senior counsel for the Democratic Party presidential campaign of Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
• Erin Murphy, a longtime teacher and Boston Teachers Union member.
• Bridget Nee-Walsh, a 15-year member of Boston’s Iron Workers Local 7.
In addition to other endorsements, Local 888 is backing Kendra Hicks. The director of radical philanthropy at the Boston-based organization Resist is running for the District 6 seat, which covers Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury. Hicks is a former SEIU Local 888 member, from when she worked for the Boston Public Health Commission.
The ranks of the City Council were shaken up this year as at-large members Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George jumped into the mayoral race. Also, District 4 Councilor Andrea Campbell is running for mayor.
District 7 Councilor Kim Janey vaulted into the position of acting mayor and is seeking the job as a permanent position. Local 888 has endorsed her. In March, Marty Walsh had left the position of mayor to join the administration of President Joe Biden as U.S. secretary of labor.
For her part, At-Large Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia is running for re-election. In addition, Councilor Matt O’Malley is not seeking re-election in District 6.
Hicks has also been endorsed by the Boston Teachers Union and the Greater Boston Labor Council, For more info on Hicks, see see https://www.hicksfordistrictsix.com/.
An August meeting of Local 888’s COPA featured two candidates running in District 4, which covers parts of Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Dorchester and Roslindale. They were Evandro Carvalho, who previously served as executive director of Boston’s Human Rights Commission and, before that, as a state representative for the 5th Suffolk District, which covers much of Dorchester. For more info, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GXXtbJXCqI.
Also: Joel Richards, a 13-year Boston Public School teacher who has been endorsed by the Greater Boston Labor Council and the Boston Teachers Union. For more info, see https://www.moreford4.com/.

The August COPA event also included Said Abdikarim, who is running for an at-large City Council seat, and Mary Tamer, who is running for the District 6 seat. One policy difference between her and Hicks is Tamer’s strong opposition to a renewed push for rent control. In contrast, Hicks supports rent control.