Gustavo Gordillo, a co-chair of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), was fired from his union electrician apprenticeship program in March after months of absence, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3 confirmed. Shortly after his termination from the apprenticeship, Gordillo and co-chair Grace Mausser were approved for annual salaries of $95,000 each, with benefits, by the DSA chapter. This decision came despite Gordillo not informing DSA members of his dismissal from the trade program.
Sources within the DSA indicated that Gordillo presented his need for a salary as a consequence of increased national attention on the organization following the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. One attendee recalled Gordillo discussing the demands of media interviews and using an earpiece on construction sites, stating it was too distracting. However, a source close to the situation described this appeal as disingenuous, citing reports that Gordillo's parents purchased a Brooklyn home for him and his brother for nearly $1 million in 2019. Gordillo's father previously covered his son's rent in a Lower East Side apartment through a limited liability company until 2019.
Gordillo joined the IBEW Local 3 union in April 2024. The union stated that the trustees of the Joint Apprentice Training Committee terminated Gordillo due to his prolonged absence and failure to participate in required work and classes. A union source suggested Gordillo had a weak work record and may have taken the apprenticeship slot intended for someone in greater need.
Gordillo, who studied liberal arts and graduate art at Yale University between 2006 and 2012 but did not earn a degree, moved to New York City in 2016. He has stated that the election of former President Donald Trump inspired him to join the DSA. His social media profile continued to list him as a "union electrician" as of Wednesday.
Previously, the NYC-DSA did not pay its co-chairs. Federal non-profit paperwork shows that in 2025, Mausser and Gordillo received no salary for their approximately five hours of weekly work. The recent resolution stipulating salaries requires the co-chairs to raise 15% of their compensation and to promote the group's agenda and endorsed political candidates. Gordillo's home in Bed-Stuy is reportedly undergoing renovations, including interior work and the addition of rooftop decks.