Piscataway, NJ — Column A Democratic candidates for Mayor and Council announced today that they have been endorsed by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees HPAE/AFT/AFL-CIO. HPAE, which represents over 14,000 nurses and healthcare workers in hospitals and other health care facilities throughout the state, supports Bill Irwin, candidate for Mayor, and Ralph Johnson, Laura Leibowitz and Kamuela “Nikki” Tillman for the team’s commitment to health care employees and the patients they protect.

In her written endorsement, HPAE President Debbie White said, “We recognize your leadership and shared vision for providing safe working conditions for health care professionals by supporting safe staffing levels in healthcare facilities; protecting public employee pensions and benefits; and preserving workers’ right to collectively bargain.

“We will encourage each of our members in Piscataway Township to fully support your campaign. Finally, I want to thank you for your dedication and hard work.”

The Column A Democrats oppose privatization of health care, support strong patient protections with safe staffing levels and encourage collective bargaining, said Bill Irwin, Mayoral Candidate running to unseat a five term incumbent.

“We are honored to be endorsed by HPAE. Health care workers are our front line heroes, and we are proud to support them each and every day. We believe that health care is a basic human right, and that our elected officials should be supporting patient protections and fighting privatization with the full force of their office. We stand with health care workers and with HPAE,” said Irwin.

The full endorsement is available at www.pway2020.com