Port of San Diego Commissioner Rafael Castellanos announced Tuesday that he has been endorsed by San Diego’s hotel workers’ union in his run for the county Board of Supervisors.
UNITE HERE Local 30 represents roughly 4,500 hotel, gaming and food service workers around the county, most of whom work in South Bay. The union’s president, Brigette Browning, serves on the San Diego Labor Council’s Executive Committee.
“As a union dedicated to fighting poverty and empowering immigrants, we support leaders like Rafael Castellanos who understand the challenges working families face and have a proven track record advancing pro-worker, pro-immigrant policies that build a stronger, fairer economy for everyone,” Browning said.
Castellanos has received multiple union endorsements so far in his run for the board’s District 1 seat, including the support of the county’s harbor police officers’ union and its longshore workers’ union. He has also received support from Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez and Chula Vista City Councilwoman Jill Galvez.
“I have been proud to stand side by side with UNITE HERE and San Diego hotel workers to raise wages for working people, stamp out poverty, defend immigrants’ rights and fight to expand affordable healthcare to every family in San Diego,” Castellanos said.
Also running for the District 1 seat are state Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego; Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Vice President of Community and Government Relations Nora Vargas; and county Health and Human Services Agency Human Services Specialist Sophia Rodriguez.
Supervisor Greg Cox will be termed out next year after more than 25 years on the board. The district includes portions of southern San Diego County, including the San Diego Port District and the cities of Chula Vista, Coronado and National City.
— City News Service