The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, has endorsed Shaun Francis for the New York State Senate, 43rd District.
“Shaun has dedicated his post-baseball career to serving the needs of working people,” said OPEIU President Richard Lanigan. “He has the experience and proven dedication that makes him the right candidate to represent working families in New York and ensure their interests are protected in Albany.” Lanigan pledged OPEIU will mobilize its members in the 43rd District to help ensure that Francis is elected.
In accepting OPEIU’s endorsement, Francis said “I am so proud to accept the endorsement of OPEIU, a group that shares my vision for the future of working families in New York. We need to elect honest, responsible legislators who want to move our state forward, legislators who understand that we can – and we must – embrace both economic and social justice.
“That is why I am running for the New York State Senate,” he continued. “It is time to grow our state, create a brighter future for all New Yorkers, and it is time to lead the way to a better tomorrow.”
A former Minor League Baseball umpire, Francis was president of the Association of Minor League Umpires (AMLU) and now serves as its executive director. In 2012, Francis became a representative for OPEIU, organizing nursing home aids, hospital nurses, aircraft machinists and pilots and other workers throughout the country. A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Francis attended North Colonie Public Schools, SUNY, the National Labor College and the Harvard Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School. He lives in Wilton, N.Y., with his wife, Julie.