Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo is marking Labor Day with a Daily News OpEd that has a pointed message to the state’s labor unions: Become part of the solution in trying to fix New York’s fiscal mess, or prepare to do battle as part of the problem.

Cuomo plugs the new book on former Gov. Hugh Carey’s handling of the 1970s economic crisis by ex-Sen. Seymour Lachman and Rob Polner, noting unions voluntarily took concessions to help prevent NYC from insolvency, with labor leaders agreeing to temporarily shelve raises for municipal employees.

“I look forward to working with public unions in the same spirit Gov. Carey did – for the welfare of all the people of this great state,” Cuomo wrote.

“Similar to 35 years ago, I suggest that today is another moment in time where the public sector (along with everyone else) must make sacrifices for the common good.”

“And so, I invite all public unions and groups aligned with them to join our coalition to change New York. The New York State United Teachers, 1199 SEIU and the Working Families Party, among others, should follow the legacy of great union leaders, take the long view, and do what’s best for their members and the state they serve.”

“For labor to thrive, the state must thrive. We are all in this together.”

In his “New New York Agenda,” Cuomo has laid out a number of proposals that unions dislike, including a wage freeze for public employees, a property tax cap and creation of a sixth pension tier.

While Cuomo recently landed the endorsement of the 2.5-million member AFL-CIO, not all the federation’s affiliates were on board with that decision – most notably CSEA and NYSUT (PEF has broken with its fellow public unions to back the AG for governor).

AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes appeared on “Capital Tonight” Friday and made it clear the labor movement is united and ready to fight Cuomo if necessary (assuming he’s elected governor, as it appears he will be) to protect the rights of “working men and women.”

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