AUGUSTA — The Maine Service Employees Association is endorsing Democrat Hannah Pingree for governor. 

In a Wednesday announcement, the largest union of state workers said it believes Pingree will help “working class people.” 

“Hannah understands that the lack of quality, affordable healthcare is harming Mainers, and she will work to change that,” Elizabeth O’Connor, an MSEA retiree from Sanford, said in a statement. “Hannah listens to what Mainers need; she will make working families, retirees and all Mainers her priority.” 

Pingree, a former Maine House speaker, is running in the November election against Republican Bobby Charles and independent Rick Bennett. 

The nod from MSEA is the third major union endorsement in recent weeks for Pingree, following backing from the Maine AFL-CIO and the Maine Education Association. 

The MSEA, which is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, represents more than 13,000 Maine workers. Its board voted to endorse Pingree after reviewing candidate questionnaires, hosting a candidate panel and interviews. 

Pingree, who formerly served in the Mills administration as head of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, said in a statement that she wants to build a “collaborative relationship with state workers.” 

That is a contrast to the Mills administration, which has been locked in a bitter battle with state workers for more than a year over a new contract. 

“We need to ensure that all workers are respected throughout the bargaining process,” Pingree said. “State workers deserve fair, timely contracts and I look forward to working together to get that done.” 

In its statement, the MSEA noted that Pingree supports “the right to strike for public sector workers,” with the exception of public safety employees. She also backs binding arbitration, according to the union. 

“Executive branch workers have been without a contract for over a year,” Jeff Doyon, a union member from Winslow, said. “If we had the right to strike and binding arbitration, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”