Key Labor Union Endorses Cetina in Council Race
LOS ANGELES — The city’s largest union, the Service Employees International Union, endorsed political novice Luis Cetina on Monday in the crowded Eastside City Council race, elevating his candidacy to replace Richard Alatorre.
The union endorsement, which came after the union was embarrassed last month when its own candidate failed to qualify for the ballot, is expected to boost Cetina’s effort in which a dozen others are vying for the 14th Council District seat.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. March 10, 1999 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday March 10, 1999 Home Edition Metro Part B Page 3 Metro Desk 1 inches; 26 words Type of Material: Correction
Council candidate--Because of an editing error, The Times on Tuesday mischaracterized Los Angeles City Council candidate Luis Cetina’s position on abortion. He opposes abortion.
It also may indicate the behind the scenes influence of Alatorre, who has said he has been helping Cetina’s campaign. Alatorre has not, however, made an official endorsement in the race. The veteran councilman has been one of the union’s closest allies on the City Council.
The union’s support for Cetina took some political observers and consultants by surprise. Cetina, 33, perhaps one of the lesser-known candidates in the race, is a Metropolitan Water District engineer and Republican-turned-Democrat who considers himself to favor abortion rights and is “pro-community.” He has also received the endorsement of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Al Checchi.
“I’m ecstatic,’ Cetina said shortly after the union vote. “It’s tremendous. This is really important to this campaign.”
The union’s Joint Council 8, which includes 11 locals representing 205,000 workers, interviewed five candidates--Cetina, Victor Griego, Juan Jose Guttierez, Nick Pacheco and Alvin Parra--after they answered detailed questionnaires.
“This union is concerned about privatization and public services, not really about guns or abortion or things that don’t affect voters’ pocketbooks,” said Julie Butcher, the general manger of Local 347. “Hopefully, this puts him over the top.”
Butcher estimates that about 5,000 union members who are registered voters live in the city’s 14th District.
Other candidates and their campaign managers said they were disappointed that they weren’t chosen.
“All endorsements are important,” said Griego. “SEIU’s is very important. . . . A lot depends on what they are going to do for him.”
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