A Michigan construction workers union has endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder.

The 18,000-member Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights announced its endorsement of Snyder on Monday.

Snyder faces Democrat Virg Bernero in the Nov. 2 election. Bernero has been backed by several major unions, including the United Auto Workers and the Michigan Education Association.

Snyder said he appreciated the carpenters union’s willingness to make an endorsement not based on traditional partisan loyalty and called for unity among Michiganders.

“We have a broken culture in our state, we have an attitude that we’re too negative about things but we’re also too divisive,” Snyder said. “It is time to bring people together, it is time to reinvent Michigan.”

Bernero continued to push his “main street” agenda when asked about the endorsement.

“He is getting some and we’re getting some business support,” Bernero said at the end of the Labor Day Parade in Detroit. “Look, it’s going to be mixed up, but when it comes to people on main street, actual, regular, working folks, it’s going to be very clear by election day that the team of Virg Bernero and Brenda Lawrence are two mayors for main street, getting the job done in our cities and we can get the job done for the state of Michigan.”

Bernero is Lansing’s mayor. Snyder is an Ann Arbor businessman.

© MMX WWJ Radio, All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to his report.