Five mayoral candidates discussed their relationships to labor unions in a Tuesday campaign forum hosted by the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO.
Tuesday’s event carries some major stakes: Members of affiliate unions in the AFL-CIO federation will vote to decide who gets their endorsement, potentially unlocking a mobilizing force. The federation boasts 48,062 union members in Detroit.
Questions were posed by members of unions representing teachers, skilled trade and hospitality workers, retirees and others. Most of the candidates reflected on their generational connections to labor groups and union organizing.
The AFL-CIO invited mayoral candidates who received at least 4% of the vote in a February poll conducted for the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus. That excluded City Council Member Fred Durhal III, who said union members missed an opportunity to hear from him.
Durhal’s supporters rallied outside the IBEW Local 58 headquarters to advocate for his inclusion and put campaign flyers on parked vehicles.
Write-in candidate Rogelio Landin watched from the audience and expressed frustration to me that he wasn’t added to the event. He failed to collect enough petition signatures by the April 22 filing deadline.
Jonathan Barlow also made sure to have a presence despite not being able to participate — he brought a billboard truck outside the venue.
It was the second forum of the 2025 election after last weekend’s event organized by the African American Leadership Institute.
Here’s a brief summary of what the five candidates said:
James Craig
The former police chief said mayors can set the tone for how unions are treated and promoted extensive experience working with unions as a police officer and chief in multiple cities.
“What we need is a strong proven leader,” Craig said. “This is a very important election … we cannot afford to regress.”
Craig acknowledged candidates agree on need to build the city’s middle class. He suggested a “restructure” of the Detroit Land Bank Authority to give residents preference on property because “it’s not really working” currently.
When asked how the mayor should reign in industrial pollution, Craig discussed how holistic education on fitness and mental health would help children. Craig later said Mayor Mike Duggan “did a great job of negotiating with Stellantis” to bring an east side plant online.
Craig wants to prioritize raising third grade reading scores in Detroit schools. He said it became a passionate issue when he ran for governor in 2022. Craig wants more accountability for public school administrators.
Craig has been a member of unions.
Saunteel Jenkins
The former nonprofit CEO and City Council president supports an extensive planning effort in each city council district to create strategies for building up Detroit’s distinct neighborhoods.
Jenkins said this could be used to identify sites for affordable housing, grocery stores, laundromats, commercial districts and office parks for small businesses that can’t afford downtown leases. It would also funnel financial incentives toward local residents first.
“We would create a development plan in each of the districts based on input from those residents,” Jenkins said. “If you live in the district, you get the highest level of incentives.”
She also wants to offer vacant land bank homes and repair grants to teachers who move to Detroit.
Jenkins said holding corporations accountable for air pollution is a top priority.
Jenkins said she has not been a member of a union.
Solomon Kinloch
The leader of a large metro Detroit church network argued Detroit has policies and tools in place to improve the middle class, but leaders aren’t using them effectively.
“We’ve got people sitting at the table who may have the competence, but they don’t have the courage,” Kinloch said. “We’ve got to put people at the table who have the courage to not be so intoxicated being close to the proximity of power that they forget why they were put in the power in the first place.”
Kinloch said Detroiters know they lack access to healthy food but little has been done about it. The same goes for affordable housing and troubled schools, he said.
He proposed partnering with philanthropies, block clubs, unions and others to deliver for residents. Kinloch appeared to disagree with Jenkins’ proposal for district planning efforts, arguing that town halls and forums haven’t resulted in enough change.
Kinloch said he has been a union member.
Todd Perkins
The attorney and civil rights activist said he’s fighting for the little guy at a time when many are worried about Detroit’s future.
Perkins said his legal experience means he can effectively use the mayor’s “bully pulpit.” He wants to create clawbacks to revoke tax incentives for businesses that fail to meet negotiated benefits.
“I want to revamp community benefits,” Perkins said. “It’s toothless in the sense that it doesn’t require following through. I know negotiation. I write contracts and I litigate with contracts.”
Perkins said he would interact directly with the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District to collaborate on issues like public safety. Perkins said students perform better when they’re not afraid, and families are more likely to stay in the city if neighborhoods are safe.
He also pitched creating a “neighborhood quarterback” to ensure projects in specific communities are completed. Perkins also wants to turn the leader of the health department into a “chief surgeon general” to make the city healthier.
Perkins said he has not been a union member.
Mary Sheffield
The City Council president garnered some of the strongest applauses from the audience when speaking on her record of supporting unions and passing policies to strengthen labor groups.
“I did not just occupy a seat. I did not just make history at the age of 26, but I’ve done tangible things that have directly impacted the quality of life for this city,” said Sheffield, noting she was the youngest person elected to the council in Detroit’s history.
Some of those policies include creating a neighborhood beautification program, an industry standards board for arena workers and an ordinance to help local businesses secure contracts with the city.
Sheffield teased a “Destination Detroit” economic plan to build up the middle class. She said it will include measures to attract high growth industries and invest in workforce development so residents can get those jobs.
She pitched a mayor’s liaison in the schools and a coalition between the city, Detroit public schools and charter schools to address education issues. Sheffield wants to expand the Detroit Promise scholarship program to address social issues that contribute to chronic absenteeism.
Sheffield said she has been a union member.