{"id":14346,"date":"2023-03-18T20:08:03","date_gmt":"2023-03-19T03:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/carpenters-support-bailaos-campaign-for-toronto-mayor\/"},"modified":"2023-03-18T20:08:04","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T03:08:04","slug":"carpenters-support-bailaos-campaign-for-toronto-mayor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/carpenters-support-bailaos-campaign-for-toronto-mayor\/","title":{"rendered":"Carpenters\u2019 support Bailao\u2019s campaign for Toronto mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former Toronto deputy mayor Ana Bailao has announced she is running for mayor, and she\u2019ll hit the campaign trail March 17 with the support of the Carpenters\u2019 Union.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d Bailao announced on Twitter early March 17. \u201cI\u2019m running with a plan to fix our city\u2019s services, build housing, and make life more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, Carpenters\u2019 Union Local 27 posted a 42 second video on social media showing the former councillor, currently the head of affordable housing with Dream Unlimited, touring a downtown Toronto jobsite and talking to members of the union. She was hosted by Mike Yorke, president of the executive board of the Carpenters\u2019 District Council of Ontario.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, we\u2019re pleased,\u201d Yorke said of the news that Bailao will run.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has been a strong advocate for working people at the city level,\u201d Yorke said. \u201cShe has been a good friend of working people and the Carpenters\u2019 union for many, many years.\u201d<\/p>\n

He commented in the video, \u201cShe is a leader, and she\u2019s one of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

After 12 years on council, Bailao decided not to run for a fourth term ahead of the municipal election last fall. During her time in office she supported such initiatives as the HousingTO 2020-2030 Housing Action Plan and\u202fHousing Now, and spoke out in support of such policies as flexible inclusionary zoning regulations and the Garden Suites Bylaw.<\/p>\n

In 2019, she led the campaign to ensure the city retained its status as a construction employer in the ICI sector, maintaining binding collective agreements with nine trade unions with LIUNA added as a 10th.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was the champion. She was the advocate at that time. She took the lead on that file,\u201d said Yorke.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are reciprocating. We\u2019re acknowledging that leadership over the years and believe that it needs recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yorke noted Bailao\u2019s father was a construction worker who was hurt badly on a jobsite, a point she referred to often during speeches at City Hall. Her mother was a cleaner who made attempts to unionize her colleagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us it was very moving. It shows the connection between our industry and working people and Ana,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The byelection to replace Tory will be held June 26. Tory resigned after admitting to an improper relationship with a former staffer.<\/p>\n

On March 15, former Toronto councillor Giorgio Mammoliti announced he is running for the top job.<\/p>\n

\u201cToronto is a city with so much potential, so many opportunities, but at the same time, so many challenges,\u201d said Yorke. \u201cIt\u2019s a challenging job. But I really believe that Ana is up to that challenge. We need a champion at this moment in our city\u2019s history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yorke said Carpenters\u2019 executives will no doubt be meeting to discuss any role the union would play in the campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to play a role in the city,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to play a role in engaging our members.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow the author on Twitter @DonWall_DCN<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n