The two front runners for Boise mayor both support labor unions and collective bargaining, but differ slightly in how to get around Idaho’s laws to give organized workers a leg up.
On Wednesday, incumbent Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and challenger City Council President Lauren McLean stood before the Boise Central Trades & Labor Council in downtown Boise to make their case for how they would support organized labor in the city.
The Idaho Press reports, the three other mayoral candidates, Adriel Martinez, Cortney Nielsen and Wayne Richey, did not attend. Event organizers said they were not invited because they did not meet the criteria of having a website and staff when the event was planned at the end of July.
The topic of the forum was focused on labor issues, but both candidates mentioned the importance of affordable housing and public transportation. They both argued if workers have affordable places to live and can easily move throughout the city, it will help make Boise sustainable for people of all incomes.