FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, June 24, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge regarding attacks on abortion and the right to choose:
The Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade today and restricted access for millions of Americans.
With approximately 33,000 working women who are Culinary Union members, our union is proudly comprised of a majority of women. Reproductive rights and abortion access are worker rights. The Culinary Union stands firmly against unjust attacks against working people, our civil rights, on abortion and the right to choose, and policies which limit our health care access.
The right to a safe abortion remains legal in Nevada because Democrats, whom Culinary Union members have helped elect, have protected Nevadans right to choose. Voting has real consequences, but also opportunities. This November, our rights will be on the ballot, and the Culinary Union calls on voters to show up in force and vote to elect political candidates who will stand for abortion and the right to choose, economic justice, and who will fight to protect working families.
We will continue to organize.
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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 87 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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