SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse mayoral candidates will turn their attention to labor unions Tuesday night, as they take part in a special forum. The local chapter of the Labor and Employment Relations Association is hosting all four candidates. 

Juanita Perez Williams, Ben Walsh, Laura Lavine, and Howie Hawkins will all be asked questions from the labor management community.

The candidates will answer questions ranging from collective bargaining rights to residence requirements for city employees.

LERA representatives say the next mayor needs to be dedicated to firefighters, police, teachers, and other union employees.

"Whoever the next mayor is going to be, he or she is going to need to understand and value and respect our local labor organizations and really make efforts to maintain good working relationships with them,” said Brian LaClair, a Blitman and King attorney.

The event will be moderated by union lawyer Brian LaClair, a partner with Blitman and King which has represented local unions for 85 years.

The forum will be about an hour-and-a-half and then there will be about a half-hour for audience questions.       

The forum will take place at the Teamsters Local 317 at 566 Spencer Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. You must pre-register at EventBrite.com and search for LERA Syracuse Mayoral forum.