FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 14, 2017
Media Contact:
Bethany Khan ▪ BKhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union calls on Trader Joe’s to stop selling beer brewed by billionaire friends of Trump and his Republican cronies
Las Vegas, NV – UNITE HERE’s Organizing Beyond Barriers and the Culinary Union are calling on Trader Joe’s to stop selling beer brewed by the billionaire friends of Donald Trump and his Republican cronies. Josephsbrau, Black Toad Ale, and Stockyard Oatmeal Stout are sold at Trader Joe’s across the United States and are brewed by the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in San Jose, CA.
The principals in the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company include major funders of the Trump Victory Joint Fundraising Committee, which helped propel into power political leaders who attack immigrants, women, the environment, LGBTQIA+ communities, and working families. The Gordon Biersch principals are Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, controlling owners of the Las Vegas-based casino chain Station Casinos.
UNITE HERE, the national hospitality worker’s union, of which the Culinary Union is the largest affiliate, has launched a national year-long campaign “Trumper Joes” aimed at Trader Joe’s grocery stores in 23 cities to tell Trader Joe’s to stop selling these beers. To learn more, go to www.TrumperJoes.org
UNITE HERE’s Organizing Beyond Barriers (OBB) program is focused on building a progressive alliance by teaching, agitating, and inspiring youth organizers and union rank-and-file workers. OBB has been participating in public information actions across the country to let Trader Joe’s customers know who is behind these beers, ask them to not buy the beers, and call on the company to stop selling beer brewed by the backers of Donald Trump and his Republican cronies.
“Buying Josephsbrau, Black Toad Ale, and Stockyard Oatmeal Stout means that you are lining the pockets of major funders of the Trump Victory Committee,” said Geoconda Arguello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “We call on allies across the country to join the campaign - don’t help them divide and attack our communities!”
OBB activists have reached out to customers throughout the summer in Baltimore, Boston, DC, Houston, LA, Las Vegas, Miami, New Haven, New England, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Stamford, and Worcester.
Media kit with photos from actions across the country are here: https://unitehere.box.com/s/nml84kr81knpeqbyp5txb36tlr4kr0g7
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ABOUT THE CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 57,000 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 270,000 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 Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 143,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest immigrant organization with over 57,000 members - a diverse membership that is approximately 55% women and 56% Latino. Members - who work as guest room attendants, bartenders, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, and kitchen workers - come from 167 countries and speak over 40 different languages. The Culinary Union has been fighting for fair wages, job security, and good health benefits for working men and women in Nevada for over 82 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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