Ramos, Baraka Both Pick up Union Endorsements Tuesday

Mayoral candidate Anibal Ramos was endorsed by another major labor union Tuesday, the third union in recent months to throw its support behind the North Ward councilman, his campaign announced.  

Local 1158 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents 1,700 workers in Essex County, joins the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters and the International Union of Operating Engineers in backing Ramos, one of four candidates so far seeking to become mayor in the May 2014 nonpartisan election.   

“Councilman Ramos has dedicated his career in public service to fighting for working families,” said Joe Calabro, the union’s business manager.  “He just doesn’t talk the talk, he actually walks the walk. We know we will be able to count on him when he is elected mayor to do right by working families.”

Ramos is running against Shavar Jeffries, a former president of the Newark Schools Advisory Board, and two of his council colleagues, the South Ward’s Ras Baraka and the Central Ward’s Darrin Sharif.

Although the election is still several months off, Ramos and Baraka are emerging as the frontrunners in the field. Both men have picked up endorsements from fellow members of the council. Baraka appears to enjoy solid support in the South and West wards, while Ramos has picked up the backing of power brokers in the North, Central and East wards.