May 5 (Bloomberg) — Hundreds of union leaders and Democratic lawmakers listened as Governor Jerry Brown took the stage at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento, which overlooks California's domed capitol.
He thanked them for supporting his voter-approved tax increase in 2012 and a bill that improved benefits for injured worker. And even though he had signed almost 40 union-supported bills in four years, he knew they wanted more.
"If you didn't get your bill signed in the first term, don't worry, I'm going to be around for the next five years," said the 76-year-old Democrat, who is running for re-election and leading his nearest Republican rival by 40 points in polls.
Organized labor has given at least $60 million to Brown's causes since 2010, according to the nonpartisan National Institute on Money in State Politics. Brown signed laws boosting the minimum wage, negotiated raises for state employees and allowed domestic workers to collect overtime pay. Labor leaders are now readying efforts to raise the minimum wage for a second consecutive year, increase paid family leave and institute better pay and benefits for retail and service workers.
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