BURLINGTON — Democrat Matt Dunne has picked up the endorsement of the Professional Firefighters of Vermont in the race for governor.
“We are standing with Matt because he has been standing with us,” said Bradley Reed, the union’s president, on Monday in front of the historic Ethan Allen Firehouse on Church Street.
Dunne, who has been a member of both the Vermont Senate and House, has a history of supporting and introducing legislation benefiting the Professional Firefighters of Vermont, Reed said.
Three weeks ago, union members met with the gubernatorial candidates and voted to collectively support Dunne, Reed said.
“He understands the importance of raising wages and working for economic justice for the middle class,” Reed said.
Reed said members face dangers every day that government must address and that Dunne has done so in the past. Firefighters have a high incidence of cancer, lung and infectious diseases, and heart emergencies, Reed said. In 2006, Dunne supported protection legislation for firefighters during cardiac emergencies, Reed said.
The Professional Firefighters of Vermont includes firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.
Dunne has been endorsed by various other unions, including the Vermont State Employees’ Association, the Teamsters and the Executive Committee of the Vermont AFL-CIO.
The firefighters union generally leans toward Democrats but had endorsed Republican Phil Scott for re-election as lieutenant governor in 2012 and 2014. He is now running for governor.
(Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the AFL-CIO.)
