Culinary Union Plans A Huge Campaign In Nevada Before November Elections

The Culinary Union Local 226 displayed its huge influence in politics on Friday. It is Nevada’s biggest labor organization.

The Union stated that it had the biggest primary political program ever witnessed in a primary election. It held the program last week and wants to hold more campaigns as the country prepares for the November general election.

The labor organization declared that it would canvas Nevada in a door-to-door campaign. Reports state that the Union had knocked on 24,000 homes before the primaries took place and wanted to intensify its efforts by November.

A few weeks before the primary, over 120 Union members formed a canvassing team that worked for six days a week. Yet, the primary campaign seemed to be relatively easy since most of the Culinary Union Local 226 endorsements won, such as Democratic incumbents Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Governor Steve Sisolak.

Even so, this will get tough soon as many political analysts claim that the November midterm election will bring unprecedented changes in Carson City and Washington. For example, if Republicans control Congress, the state legislature, and the Nevada governor’s office, it might have a big impact on the Culinary Union Local 226 and the hospitality and Nevada casino workers it represents. Odds are against a few candidates that the Union backs today.

A Huge Contract Negotiation Might Occur After the Election

The Union’s leaders released a statement on Friday claiming that they have increased their campaign efforts in the past few years. The Culinary Union was elated after President Biden won Nevada in the last presidential election when he earned six vital Electoral College votes.

The leaders said that 500 members had knocked on 650,000 doors. They reached half of Nevada’s Black and Latinx voters.

Since then, the Culinary Union Local 226 has run the state’s strongest and largest political program. It hopes to run the largest programs in history in this year’s political cycle. The statement highlighted that the Union had exceeded its past political efforts in every cycle.

The Culinary Union mainly represents women and minority groups. Women make up 55 percent of its members, while the Latinx forms 54 percent of its membership.

The Union claims that it has aided over 18,000 Nevada residents to be naturalized citizens who can vote in the last 21 years. Nevada voted for the Democratic presidential candidates in the past four presidential elections, with a margin of less than 2.5 percentage points in the last two elections.

The labor organization signed a “citywide contract” with Vegas gaming operators that will expire on June 1, 2023. Ted Pappageorge, the Culinary Union’s Secretary-Treasurer, stated that it needs to keep its candidates in office.

The Union official added that the Union is likely to face a huge contract fight in 2023 as it plans to unify workers, increase their power and win for them. Pappageorge succeeded Geoconda Arguello-Kline after she retired earlier this year.

The Union’s Secretary-Treasurer said that the organization would advocate for daily housekeeping, safe workloads and working conditions, the right IRS TIP allocation, controlling inflation, helping workers construct their first houses and meet their families needs.