FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, May 8, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge regarding a Valley Hospital strike deadline extension:
In negotiations today, Valley Hospital made significant proposals, but it’s not enough. In order to continue progress, the Culinary Union negotiating committee voted today to extend the strike deadline by 10-days to Friday, May 19, 2023 at 6:00am. The Culinary Union urges Valley Hospital to do the right thing and settle a fair contract that protects worker’s health care and pension, and provides significant raises to deal with inflation and the rising cost of living.
“I’m willing to go on strike because I’m fighting for my future and my family’s wellbeing,” said Karen Espinoza, a cook at Valley Hospital for 4 years. “I feel very unappreciated by the company - it’s been seven years since workers have had a raise and the cost of living has gone up, but our wages haven’t. My coworkers and I are united and we aren’t second-class. We aren’t going to give up until we win a strong union contract.”
*STRIKE deadline: Friday, May 19th at 6:00am -
*6:00am: The strike at Valley Hospital begins as workers walk off the job and picketing on the strike line begins.
*5:30pm: Culinary Union members from the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas join the picket line after their shifts.
*6:00pm: Civil disobedience in front of Valley Hospital.
*6:30pm: Picketing ends for the day and will resume the next day at 6:30am. Picketing continues daily 6:00am-6:30pm.
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ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest Latinx/Black/AAPI/immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership which is 55% women and 45% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, 12% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples.
Culinary Union members work as: Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting and winning for working families in Nevada for 88 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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