Now, after Lombardo vetoed a slew of bills during the 2025 legislative session that would’ve helped the workforce supporting Nevada’s tourism economy, the Culinary Union is questioning whether Lombardo’s decisions were influenced by his relationship with the Fertitta brothers. 

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, told The Nevadan that Lombardo has been a “huge disappointment” for the Culinary Union and pointed to his connection to the Fertitta brothers.

“These MAGA bros are the [second] largest donor by far to Lombardo, are also the largest law breakers in labor law history [in the] state of Nevada,” Pappageorge said in an interview. “[This] is something that we think is of interest to voters.”

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Barbie Tivas, a banquet server at Station Casinos’ Green Valley Ranch (GVR), was one of the employees targeted during the pandemic.

“I was let go during the COVID pandemic and was never rehired despite the implementation of the Right to Return Act,” Tivas wrote in a testimony. “I also attended GVR’s job fair to try to get my job back, but I still didn’t receive a call back.”

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Alba Acosta, a server at Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino, was let go during the pandemic, and was rehired—but as an on-call server instead. She receives lower pay, lost her benefits, and her schedule isn’t as consistent as it was before. 

“I have suffered from stress and mental anguish due to the [financial burden] the company has caused,” Acosta wrote in the document. “I’m the sole caretaker of my elderly, physically disabled mother, so I constantly worry if I can afford her care.”