A healthcare workers union endorsed this afternoon Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's bid to retain the city's highest office.

The United Healthcare Workers East of the SEIU pledged to back Rawlings-Blake at an event at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center.

“As a city council member, as council president and now as mayor, she’s fought tirelessly for quality healthcare — and for quality healthcare jobs," John Reid, executive vice president of 1199SEIU, said in a statement. "By helping caregivers to win a voice for our patients and a better life for our families, she’s helping to improve the quality of life for everyone in Baltimore.”

“Healthcare workers are the heart and soul of Baltimore. One in five jobs in our city is in healthcare, so by improving conditions for workers in our hospitals, nursing homes and clinics, we’re not only improving healthcare standards, we’re improving living standards across the city. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made so far, and I know together we can do so much more by 2015," Rawlings-Blake said in a statement.

The union touted Rawlings-Blake's sponsorship of a 2009 resolution in support of the Heart of Baltimore campaign, which backed "the right of every Baltimore caregiver to a free and fair union election."

The union described itself in a press release "the most powerful grassroots election operation in Maryland" and said "substantial numbers" of its members would campaign door-to-door.

Rawlings-Blake has picked up a number of high-profile endorsements in recent weeks, including Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Rep. Elijah Cummings and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.