WPCLB Candidate Questionnaire 2025

2025 Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO Questionnaire for Candidates DUE 3/21/25 (except for village candidates with a March election, it is DUE 3/3/25)

We are a non-partisan organization and our only goal is to represent the interest of our members, their families, and the thousands of working men and women who strive for good jobs, a healthy economy and a secure future. *Once your questionnaire is completed and submitted, you will be contacted to schedule your endorsement interview.
Are you in a Primary?*

YesNo
If yes, which line(s)?
Personal Information
Are you the incumbent in this race?*

YESNO
Full Name

First NameLast Name
Address
Candidate for:*
Include district if applicable
Party Affiliation
Cell Phone Number
E-mail*
example@example.com
Please provide social media accounts used:
Who are your opponents?
What is your profession/occupation and who is your employer?
Are you a union member?

YesNo
If yes, what is your union affiliation?
International & Local # - example: "IUOE Local 30"
If you are a union member, are you endorsed by your own union?

YESNOHaven't yet pursued
Are you currently endorsed by any unions and if so, which ones?*
Please list union leaders that you have sought/will seek input from when developing legislative goals and priorities:*
Have you ever walked on a picket line in support of workers and if so, with which unions?*
What is your path to victory? How many volunteers do you have and how many voteres are in your district?*

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
What is your position on a worker's right to organize?*
What is your position on collective bargaining rights for public sector employees?*
What is your position on collective bargaining rights for private sector employees?*
What actions would you personally take, or have you taken to support workers organizing to form a union or seeking new collective bargaining agreements?*

EDUCATION
Do you know the difference between public and private charter schools?*
What is your position on charter schools?*
Should the number of charter schools be expanded?*

YesNo
Should charter schools be subject to the same accountability and teacher certification requirements that public schools are?*

YesNo
Would magnet schools within a public school be a good alternative to for-profit charter schools?*

YesNo
What do you think can be done to ensure proper funding for our public schools?*
Do you think that test scores are the only way to evaluate how well a student is doing in school? If no, please explain.*
What is your position on full time vs. part time teaching position in the public colleges?*

UNION ISSUES
Privatization: Are you for or against the privatization of public services and why?*
Do you support New York State amending the law on training requirements for both career and volunteer firefighters up to and including the rank of Fire Chief so that requirements are significantly similar?*
What is your understanding of the current state of EMS/Ambulance services/delivery in the Westchester/Putnam region?*
What suggestions for the improvement of EMS/Ambulance services/delivery would you propose or support?*
Immigration reform is long overdue. What would you like to see in a final law? *
Do you think any policy or training changes are needed for police departments? If yes, please explain.*
Do you support, as a condition of receiving economic development assistance, requiring companies to make commitments to provide good jobs (jobs that pay a living wage, provide benefits, etc) and commitments to stay in the community for a certain period of time? *
Would you support a requirement that contractors providing services offer employment to displaced workers?*

TAX BREAKS
Do you support tax breaks for developers, and if yes, for how long and under what conditions?*
Do support tax breaks/incentives for volunteer firefighters? if yes, please explain.*
BUILDING TRADES
Industrial Development Agencies are an economic development scheme that should promote job creation and business retention in our communities. When abused, however, IDAs waste taxpayer dollars and do not provide a good return on our public investment, while placing local property taxpayers at risk for questionable business ventures. Should IDAs be more closely monitored and do you support adding “clawback” provisions when IDAs do not live up to their agreements? *
Do you support a prohibition on contracting for goods or services unless a bidder provides for the prevailing wage and why?*
Project Labor Agreements are comprehensive agreements between a municipality and/or developer and a jurisdictional Building Trades Council that set requirements for a building project. PLAs save money by guaranteeing no strikes or picketing, that correct wages are paid, and that unscrupulous contractors won’t victimize the project. PLA projects guarantee unions will work together so the project is of higher quality, are usually finished on or before schedule, use community labor and are often below budget. Are you for or against project labor agreements and why? *
SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE
Do you favor introducing 401Ks as part of the Social Security system?*
Do you think it would be better to raise the retirement eligibility age or raise the annual salary cap in order to strengthen social security?*
Do you think the monthly payment for recipients of social security should be further raised?*
Do you support the position that social security and medicare should not be diminished or impaired? *

STATE YOUR POSITION ON THE FOLLOWING:
Westchester County's responsibility to manage and run Playland:*
Term Limits:*
Expansion of Westchester County Airport:*
Accessibility of Mental Health Services:*
Healthcare for All:*
What do you know about Tier V and Tier VI and should either tier be amended? If yes, in what ways?*
Climate change is affecting us all. List some ideas you have related to sustainability measures in your community/district:*

LABOR PARTNERSHIP
Would you appoint or have you appointed representatives of organized labor to boards and commissions to ensure working people have a full voice in public policy decisions and will you seek the input from this Central Labor Council in making choices for members of these boards and commissions?*
Please list any labor appointments you have made in the past:*
Please list any committees you serve on currently:*
What legislation related to employee rights and benefits have you sponsored/co-sponsored?*
What are you top three legislative priorities?*
Why are you seeking the WPCLB AFL CIO's endorsement?*
SIGNATURE for completion:

First NameLast Name
REMINDER: The deadline for submission is 3/21/25 (if you are a village candidate with a March election, it is due by 3/3/25) - we will not accept any questionnaires received after the deadline.
Should be Empty:

2025 Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO Questionnaire for Candidates DUE 3/21/25 (except for village candidates with a March election, it is DUE 3/3/25)

Personal Information

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

EDUCATION

UNION ISSUES

TAX BREAKS

BUILDING TRADES

SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE

STATE YOUR POSITION ON THE FOLLOWING:

LABOR PARTNERSHIP

REMINDER: The deadline for submission is 3/21/25 (if you are a village candidate with a March election, it is due by 3/3/25) - we will not accept any questionnaires received after the deadline.