Manny Pastreich

Manny Pastreich is not afraid to make adjustments on the fly to benefit his members.

In April 2025, the residential building workers union leader endorsed Andrew Cuomo in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary — despite once calling for his resignation as governor in 2021.

But, when Zohran Mamdani unexpectedly toppled Cuomo in June, Pastreich switched his endorsement the next day, citing the Queens assemblyman’s presence at the union’s residential rally four years ago and his priorities to reduce the cost of housing, child care and transportation while also backing higher wages.

“We appreciate the support he has shown on both sides of the affordability equation,” Pastreich said. “He’s always been a great supporter. We were torn with a choice between someone who helped pass legislation with us and someone we really know.”

Making tough choices for thousands of people tends to work out for Pastreich, who managed SEIU Local 32BJ’s collective bargaining for two decades before becoming its president in 2022.

He has helped get critical state legislation passed, including the Healthy Terminals Act, which helped 14,000 airport workers get a higher minimum wage with health insurance and paid time off. And he advocated for the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act that the New York City Council enacted in January, which raised wage standards and benefits for 60,000 private security officers in the city.

But Pastreich’s most pressing challenge has recently been securing a new contract for the union’s 34,000 doormen, porters and maintenance workers.

When the union and real estate owners were far apart over health insurance provisions, his members agreed in March to authorize a strike the following month if negotiations continued to stall. But, on April 17, Pastreich announced a tentative agreement with a $4.50-per-hour increase over the length of the four-year deal, a 25 percent retirement improvement, and expanded health care coverage that included Northwell Health as a preferred provider.

“We set out to win cost-of-living improvements and we got by far the largest wage increase we’ve ever won,” Pastreich said. “On all the major issues we set out on residential bargaining, we achieved them.”