Bricklayers Endorse Michelle Kelley in Latest Sign of Growing Support

Special to the Journal

The Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island announced today its endorsement of Revere At-Large City Council candidate Michelle Kelley, citing her positive message and vision for Revere as reasons for their support.

Kelley, running to bring a “neighborhood watch” approach to the Revere City Council, has been gathering support by vowing to instill honesty and accountability in city governance and letting voters know that their voices matter.

“I’m thrilled and honored by the support of the working men and women of Local 3,” Kelley said in accepting the endorsement. “These folks go to their jobs every day doing honest work, and I will do the exact same thing for them and all the people of Revere once I’m elected to the City Council. This city is full of good people who deserve nothing less from their elected officials.”

The union said that Kelley, a realtor and attorney, had already begun advocating for working families in the face of powerful interests with business before the city. Her tenacity and willingness to defend taxpayer interests played decisive roles in their endorsement process, union officials said.

“Since we recognize and appreciate that you are truly a defender and a dedicated worker for peace, social justice, and equality for working men and women, the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 strongly and proudly endorses your candidacy,” Local 3 President/ Secretary-Treasurer Charles Raso wrote in the union’s endorsement letter.

“We pledge our friendship, our support, and our hard work in making your election a success,” Raso wrote.

A lifelong Revere resident and newcomer to electoral politics, Kelley announced her bid for an At-Large seat in May and has been building support, listening to voters and constructing a grassroots campaign. Running as an outsider who wants to make Revere’s government more accountable to the people, she has found her message resonating in all pockets of the city.

“People want change,” Kelley said. “They know they deserve more accountability and more transparency at City Hall, and I’m going to deliver that for them. I’m listening now because, once I’m elected, I’m going to be their voice.”

Kelley said that, once in office, she will help guide Revere toward building a new high school in a fiscally responsible manner, applying a smarter approach across city government. She will insist that developers adhere to the zoning code that was written by the people of Revere, preserving the vital fabric of the city’s neighborhoods.

And she will faithfully ensure that Revere’s seniors always receive respectful treatment from their government, including common courtesy from elected officials.

The first person in her family to graduate college, Kelley attended Revere Public Schools and worked her way through both college and law school, receiving degrees from Salem State University and New England School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts state and federal courts.

Kelley lives in West Revere with her husband, David.

Founded in 1865, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers represents bricklayers, stonelayers, pointers, cleaners, caulkers, tile-marble-terrazzo mechanics and finishers, cement masons, and plasterers. Local 3 prides itself on its thriving apprenticeship program and on giving back to the communities its members serve.

To learn more about Michelle Kelley’s campaign, or to volunteer, please visit KelleyForRevere.com. Michelle looks forward to any and all opportunities to hear from residents!