Illustration by Riccardo Vecchio

Mike Fishman
WHO: President
WHAT: SEIU 32BJ
The firmament of organized labor in the city has been short on stars since health-care leader Dennis Rivera and teachers chief Randi Weingarten left the city to assume national posts. But if there’s one labor figure ready to break out, it’s Mike Fishman, head of the doormen’s union, Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union. A trained carpenter, he’s not a grandstander but a savvy strategist. His leads a well-paid, less-ideological membership aligned with real-estate interests. After years of steady growth, with expansions in neighboring states and a disciplined training operation, 32BJ has emerged as a potent force. Fishman can deliver votes, giving him more clout than larger labor players, like the municipal DC 37, that have been weakened by internal disarray. “He’s one of the few labor leaders who understand how to play in big-league politics and take care of his worker,” says NYU’s Mitchell Moss, a Bloomberg ally.

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• Archive: “Cover Story”
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