The Hawaii Teamsters & Allied Workers Union Local 996 endorsed former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell in the race for Honolulu mayor, the Caldwell campaign announced today.

“Kirk is a hands-on leader and consensus builder with the energy and commitment to guide our city through challenging times,” Teamsters President Ron Kozuma said in a statement. “Throughout his years as a public servant, Kirk’s leadership has consistently made a difference for Hawaii’s working families.”

Caldwell is seeking to unseat Mayor Peter Carlisle, although both were trailing former Gov. Ben Cayetano in a July poll conducted for the Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now.

The Teamsters endorsement brings to 20 the total number of unions backing Caldwell, the campaign said.

The union represents about 6,000 members in Hawaii and Guam and includes bus drivers, hospital employees, cement workers, transportation industry mechanics, satellite tracking operators, parcel delivery drivers, cable television technicians, laundry workers, mattress makers, beverage producers and distributors, and bakery employees.