The Hawaii State Teachers Association endorsed former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa for mayor today.

This is the first time the teachers union is throwing its endorsement behind a candidate for a city or county race, HSTA President Corey Rosenlee said.

HSTA represents 13,700 public school teachers statewide and is the state affiliate of the 3 million-member National Education Association.

Last week, Hanabusa won the endorsement of the Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 368.

Among other public worker unions: the Hawaii Government Employees Association endorsed Keith Amemiya; the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers endorsed Rick Blangiardi; and the Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, which represents city bus and HandiVan drivers, among others, endorsed Mufi Hannemann.

Also endorsing Hannemann last week were: the International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers Union Local 625 (including the Hawaii Iron Workers’ Stabilization Fund), the Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ International Association Local 630 and the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1.