MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
Monday, November 21, 2022 at 8am Pacific
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union plans a strike vote for Sodexo workers at Las Vegas Convention Center
Conventions are booming, but Sodexo workers say their jobs aren’t enough for cost of living
WHAT: Zoom press conference. Hear from convention center worker and UNITE HERE union leaders about stagnant wages driving a possible labor dispute. Media RSVP link for Zoom here.
WHO: Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer; Culinary Union member Dylan Schoenhard, banquet porter for Sodexo at Las Vegas Convention Center; UNITE HERE union officials and Sodexo workers from convention centers in Orlando, Sacramento, Detroit, and New Orleans.
WHEN: Monday, November 21, 2022 at 8:00am Pacific
WHY: Cooks, dishwashers, banquet servers, concessions cashiers, and other Sodexo workers at the Las Vegas Convention say their jobs aren’t enough to keep up with the cost of living and they will take a strike vote.
“I'm voting to strike because we are the ones that make the Convention Center successful, and we want to get a fair share of that success,” said Dylan Schoenhard, banquet porter for Sodexo at Las Vegas Convention Center. “We have been busy at the Convention Center, with big shows like MJBizCon. But we need higher pay because everything is so much more expensive now, especially with rent and housing. We don't want to be treated like second-class workers.”
“After the COVID-19 pandemic, convention business is booming again, and Culinary Union members work tirelessly to provide the best service,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “The Las Vegas Convention Center generates billions in positive economic impact for Nevada per year, but the Sodexo workers who make that possible are getting left behind. Sodexo workers at the Las Vegas Convention Center are taking a strike vote because they deserve good jobs.”
Sodexo workers in four other major convention cities (in addition to Las Vegas) – Orlando, Sacramento, Detroit, and New Orleans – have reported similar issues. Sodexo workers at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando are already taking a strike vote and will announce results during Monday’s press conference. While specific issues vary from city to city, key issues across all five include wage increases, affordable health care, secure retirement, and fair scheduling. The bargaining units and disputes at each convention center are distinct.
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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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