UNITE HERE Local 8 Endorses Pramila Jayapal for State Senate

UNITE HERE Local 8 is proudly endorsing Pramila Jayapal in her run for the open State Senate seat in the 37th Legislative District. Jayapal’s long history of standing up for Seattle’s hospitality workers has led to this enthusiastic early endorsement.

“We got to know Pramila during the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003. Since then she’s been a tireless advocate for the rights of hotel, restaurant and food service workers. We couldn’t imagine a better advocate for working families, immigrant and women’s rights in the State Senate,” said Erik Van Rossum, President of UNITE HERE Local 8.

Jayapal has stood with Seattle hotel workers and led community delegations demanding health and safety protections for hotel housekeepers from corporate hotel chains, advocated for paid sick days in Seattle, and has been one of the leading national voices for comprehensive immigration reform, a top priority for UNITE HERE nationally.

UNITE HERE Local 8 represents about 5,000 workers in the hospitality industries of Oregon & Washington State. Local 8 members work in hotels, restaurants, food service, and airport concessions. They include room cleaners, cooks, bartenders, bellmen, food and beverage servers, bussers, and dishwashers.