Mayor Adams, who’s on a limited public schedule this week due to health concerns, met privately Monday night with two key local labor leaders — at least one of whom reaffirmed support for the mayor’s reelection during their sit-down, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The meetings, which come as Adams faces serious uncertainties about his political future, took place at his Gracie Mansion residence and involved Richard Maroko, head of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ, the building service workers’ union, the sources said.
Both union leaders — who met separately with the mayor — endorsed his 2021 mayoral campaign and are seen as highly politically influential in local elections.
During his meet, Maroko, whose union represents nearly 40,000 hotel and gaming industry workers in the greater New York City area, told Adams that as long as he’s in the 2025 mayoral race he will have his union’s political support, a source directly familiar with the exchange told the Daily News.
It was not immediately clear if Pastreich made the same commitment.
Spokespeople for Adams and the unions didn’t immediately return requests for comment Tuesday. Monday night’s meeting was first reported by Politico.
The meeting came after Adams’ office announced late Sunday night he’s canceling most of his public schedule for this week because he is “not feeling well.”
The mayor’s office says Adams is “resting” and lining up several doctors’ visits this week, but hasn’t shared any details about the nature of his ailment other than to say it’s “not serious at this point.” Late Monday, Fabien Levy, Adams’ spokesman, wrote on X that the mayor “has some more routine tests scheduled” Tuesday, “followed by another doctor’s appointment later this week.”
Maroko and Adams ran into each other last week and decided to meet to talk about “political stuff,” according to a source familiar with the matter. The meeting was initially going to take place over coffee or dinner, but was moved to Gracie after Adams’ health issue emerged, the source said.
Adams’ decision to meet with the labor allies come at a time of intense political challenge.
He is set to stand trial in Manhattan Federal Court in April on criminal charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives and others in exchange for political favors. Adams has pleaded not guilty.
The mayor’s corruption trial is set to start just two months before he faces a sprawling field of challengers in June’s Democratic mayoral primary. Adams, who’s facing historically low approval ratings, has seen a shortfall in fundraising for his reelection lately after being denied public matching funds due to his indictment.
Amid the headwinds, locking in labor support could be key for Adams’ prospects in June’s election, and his Monday meetings indicate he’s hoping to secure it early.
DC37, the city’s largest municipal union, also endorsed Adams in 2021. That union’s leader, Henry Garrido, does not appear to have met with the mayor Monday night.
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