Rob Ashton, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, has announced he’s running for the federal NDP leadership.

Ashton, who is billing himself as the “the first working-class labour candidate” in the race, released a short campaign launch video Wednesday morning.

“I’m done watching working people pick between Liberals and Conservatives, only to end up with the short end of the stick,” Ashton says in his video.

“I’m running because I want our party to get back to its roots, putting regular working Canadians first.”

He joins Alberta MP Heather McPherson and documentarian Avi Lewis as official leadership candidates.

Montreal activist Yves Engler and Tanille Johnston, a Campbell River B.C. city councillor and former NDP candidate, are also considering leadership runs.

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