32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, the largest private-sector union in New York, today announced its support for the election of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer as City Comptroller in the 2013 election. The endorsement resulted from a member-driven process that included a screening of the candidate last week by a committee of 32BJ members.

“The Comptroller’s office is one of the most important in the city, with responsibility for overseeing city contracting, enforcing prevailing wage laws and managing a more than $100 billion pension fund for city employees,” said 32BJ President Héctor Figueroa. “Scott Stringer has, as Manhattan Borough President, been a consistent champion of New York’s working people. He is a conscientious public official who has ensured that some of the city’s most important economic development projects create the kind of good jobs with decent wages and benefits that New York needs. He would serve our City exceptionally well as Comptroller.”

32BJ member Maurice Allen, an office cleaner who was on the 32BJ member committee that screened Stringer said he was impressed by the integrity Stringer would bring to the job. “Scott Stringer is independent,” Allen said. “That’s what I liked about him. He’s his own man. His only concern would be as a watchdog over the people’s money.”

With 125,000 members in eight states, including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ is the largest union of property service workers in the country and the largest private-sector union in the state.