MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
Thursday August 21, 2025 at 12pm
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union and Nevada AFL-CIO host the “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security” Rally on Thursday with the AFL-CIO nationwide bus tour
Las Vegas, NV - On Thursday August 21st at 12:00pm, leaders from the Nevada State AFL-CIO, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez and President Liz Sorenson, will join Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union members, and community members to rally at Culinary Union HQ as the AFL-CIO’s “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security” nationwide bus tour makes a stop in Las Vegas, Nevada.
WHO:
*Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for Culinary Union
*Nevada State AFL-CIO leaders: Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez and President Liz Sorenson
*Culinary Union hospitality workers
*Community leaders and members
WHAT: “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security” Rally
WHEN: Thursday, August 21st, 2025 at 12:00pm
WHERE:
Culinary Union HQ (5241 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas, NV 89146)
WHY:
On Thursday August 21st at 12:00pm, leaders from the Nevada State AFL-CIO, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez and President Liz Sorenson, will join Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union members, and community members to rally at Culinary Union HQ as the AFL-CIO’s “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security” nationwide bus tour makes a stop in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The bus tour stop will highlight the fight to protect hospitality workers and Nevada’s economy. As Donald Trump’s policies continue to slow tourism and hurt the Las Vegas economy, workers are standing together to demand real solutions that strengthen working families. The price of food and housing has skyrocketed and instead of delivering on promises of relief, the Trump Administration has turned its focus to arresting dishwashers and gardeners. Trump’s Medicaid cuts to Nevada’s working-class families will hurt thousands of Nevadans who rely on medical coverage through the program, and workers will not stand for it.
The “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security” Rally is part of a nationwide AFL-CIO campaign to give workers a voice and build power in the two months leading up to Labor Day September 1st, 2025. While some politicians sow chaos in the lives of working people and big corporations continue to profit off our backs, unions and working people are fighting back to win for our families.
—
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 Latino/a, 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 60% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latino/a, 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 90 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
###