43rd state Senate District candidates Roy McDonald and Michael Russo are both claiming significant support from organized labor.

McDonald, the Republican candidate to replace retired Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, has been endorsed by the state's major public sector unions, including New York State United Teachers, the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employees Federation.

These unions typically support members of the majority party in each house of the Legislature, and McDonald is running as a Republican at a time when the GOP still controls the state Senate. He is also on the same side as labor in opposing public-sector layoffs and not embracing tax-cap proposals.

McDonald also has the support of 1199 Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers East; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the New York State Association of PBAs; New York State Law Enforcement Officers Union, Council 82; New York State Police Investigators Association; Saratoga Springs Fire Department Local 343; and Troy Uniformed Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 86.

Russo, who opposes a tax cap and has other pro-labor positions, spent most of his life working for the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union. He became its representative for the northeastern United States before becoming district director for U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Greenport.

Russo's labor support includes his former union,as well as the Greater Capital Region Construction and Building Trades Council; the Communication Workers of America; the Empire State Regional Council of Carpenters and Carpenters and Joiners Local 370; the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers; the National Federation of Federal Employees; two locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers; locals from the Bakers and Confectioners Union and the United Steel Workers; the Troy City Police Benevolent Association; the city of Rensselaer police and fire union locals; and locals from the Boilermakers, Roofers and Bricklayers and Allied Trades.

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