For Immediate Release: August 7, 2013 Contact: Nathan Smith | 718-612-4453 | njsmith74@gmail.

com

RWDSU Endorses Austin Shafran for City Council

Builds on support from UFT, 1199 SEIU, 32BJ, NYC CLC, and Hotel Trades Council Queens, NYThe Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Workers Union today announced its endorsement of Austin Shafran for City Council, citing his extensive progressive record on issues important to working families. The support of the powerful and politically active RWDSU further demonstrates Shafrans success in building the strongest and widest coalition of labor support of any candidate in the race. He has already received the endorsement of most of the Citys major labor unions, including the United Federation of Teachers, the Working Families Party, 1199 SEIU, 32 BJ, the Hotel Trades Council, the New York City Central Labor Council, and Teamsters Joint Council 16. Austin Shafran is committed to making life better for vulnerable and marginalized residents of our city, including low-wage workers, immigrants, people of color, the undocumented, the homeless and the unemployed, RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum said in a statement. We believe Austin is best prepared to address some of our citys biggest challenges. Our city works because its workers are second to none, and we must match their success with our support for them, said Austin Shafran, candidate for City Council (CD-19). Coming from a union household, this is personal for me. I know that the needs of working families, like better schools, more jobs and affordable housing has to be at the heart of anything we do. Im deeply honored by the RWDSUs support, and will do everything in my power to work with its leaders and members to get New York to work better for working families. In addition to the endorsement by the RWDSU, a full list of union endorsements can be found at: http://www.austin4council.com/endorsements. Throughout his career in public service over the past decade, Shafran has worked in the city, state, and federal levels of government, helping enact policies and legislation to improve the lives of seniors, children, women, working families and businesses. For more information about the campaign and to get involved, please visit www.austin4council.com. ###