Just days after formally announcing his candidacy, former Vice President Joe Biden gained the backing of a major labor union in his run for president.

The International Association of Fire Fighters announced Monday that it was throwing its weight behind Biden in the crowded Democratic field. The union’s president, Harold Schaitberger, said in a video that the union believes Biden “rises above” the 20 or so other candidates vying to take on President Donald Trump next year.

“Joe’s a lot like our firefighters,” Schaitberger said in the announcement video. “He’s a problem-solver who cares deeply about America and [who’s] committed to making our country better. He’s one of the staunchest advocates for working families. He knows that a strong middle class means a strong America.”

The quick endorsement does not come as a surprise. The IAFF has a close relationship with Biden stretching back to the 1970s. Schaitberger told HuffPost in March that he had been personally lobbying Biden to jump into the race, and that the union would be there for him if he did declare.