For Immediate Release: February 8, 2016

Contact: Adam Yalowitz, Ayalowitz@unitehere.org

UNITE HERE International Union Endorses

Kumar Barve for Congress
Rockville UNITE HERE International Union today endorsed State
Delegate Kumar Barve for Congress in the race to replace Chris Van
Hollen in Marylands Eighth Congressional District. UNITE HERE
represents 275,000 hard-working men and women in the hospitality
industry across the United States and Canada, including approximately
15,000 who work in Maryland and Washingtons hotels, casinos,
cafeterias, and airports.
"Our union is made up of a majority of immigrants, women and people
of color, said Roxie Herbekian, International Vice President of UNITE
HERE International Union and President of UNITE HERE Local 7, one of
three UNITE HERE Locals with members in Maryland. "As the first
Indian American elected to a state legislature in American history,
Kumar Barve is an inspiration to our members.
UNITE HERE members hail from all corners of the planet. The union, in
conjunction with the AFL-CIO and thousands of immigrant rights
activists, is pushing for comprehensive, worker-centered, and
commonsense immigration reform and an end to criminalizing
enforcement strategies.
Kumar Barve is a fighter for working people and has stood with labor
throughout his career. Delegate Barve supports the "Fight for 15",
expanded collective bargaining rights, and paid sick leave for all
American workers.
"Kumar Barve has been a progressive leader in Maryland and is
responsible for moving Maryland forward. He has fought to increase
the minimum wage, maintain the prevailing wage and expand workers
rights. We need a leader in Congress like Barve who will bring people
to get things done for the working families of the 8th Congressional
District, said Bert Bayou, Chapter President of UNITE HERE Local 23.
It is an inspiration to immigrant workers in our community that Kumar
has used the story of his immigrant grandfather's fight against the U.S.
Government to retain his citizenship as the centerpiece of his
campaign to provide dignity and opportunity for every American," said
Bayou, an Ethiopian immigrant now living in Silver Spring.

I am proud to receive the endorsement of the working men and

women of UNITE HERE, said Delegate Barve, Chairman of the House
Environment and Transportation Committee. In Congress I will
continue to oppose union-busting and fight to raise wages and improve
the living standard for working families, said Barve.