Maui County Council Member Kauanoe Batangan has picked up endorsements from the Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers, the two largest public-sector labor unions representing Maui County government employees, according to a campaign announcement.

Batangan, who holds the Kahului residency area seat on the Maui County Council, said the unions’ backing carries personal significance.

“As someone whose family has been a part of unionized labor on Maui for generations, I am profoundly grateful for the support of our working people,” Batangan said in a statement. “The support of the colleagues I work shoulder-to-shoulder with each day in the public sector is especially meaningful to me.”

HGEA and UPW represent thousands of public employees across Maui County, spanning a range of government departments and agencies.

Batangan’s campaign centers on affordability and cost-of-living issues for Maui Nui families. He has said he will continue pushing to expand affordable housing, lower the cost of living and strengthen community services for residents from keiki to kūpuna.

“I want to ensure that Maui County remains the place we all know and love, while becoming a place where our families can actually afford to stay,” Batangan said.

More information on Batangan’s campaign is available at KauanoeBatangan.com.