STATEMENT by Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge regarding a Washoe County ordinance

ONLINE / TWEET

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

MEDIA CONTACT:

Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088 

STATEMENT by Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge regarding a Washoe County ordinance:

The Culinary Union opposes any and all efforts to make it more difficult for Nevadans to vote, and as the largest organization of workers, women, and immigrants in Nevada, we believe that our elections are safe and secure. 

The presence of National Guard personnel at voting locations could result in a greater fear surrounding elections, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Limiting the use of mail ballots by requiring them to be sent by certified mail would disenfranchise voters, and forcing voters to jump through hoops to drop off mail ballots would not make our elections safer, but would result in longer lines to vote. 

Washoe County should be focused on making it easier to vote, not harder. 

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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