MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
Monday, May 1, 2023 at 1:30pm
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union to attend NVLEG hearing in opposition to SB441 - which would repeal and end daily hotel room cleaning requirements in Nevada
Las Vegas, NV - Culinary Union to attend a Nevada Legislative hearing in opposition to Senate Bill 441, which would repeal and end daily cleaning of hotel rooms - currently a requirement in Nevada law. SB441, which is sponsored by Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop (SD8), is being heard in the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor.
WHO:
*Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for Culinary Union
*Diana Valles, President of the Culinary Union
*Culinary Union members
WHAT: NVLEG hearing on SB441 in Assembly Commerce and Labor
WHEN: Monday, May 1, 2023 at 1:30pm
WHERE:
*Grant Sawyer room 4406 (555 E Washington Ave #5100, Las Vegas, NV 89101)
*Legislative Building room 4100 (401 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV)
*Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@NVLeg
WHY:
The Culinary Union won the SB4 "Adolfo Fernandez" Law during the pandemic to protect hospitality workers and mandate daily room cleaning. Governor Lombardo has said that he wants to repeal the SB4 law. There is proposed legislation (SB441) that would repeal and end daily room cleaning requirements, which the Culinary Union is opposed to. Nevada must protect guest room attendants over huge casino companies.
The Culinary Union is disappointed that a majority of Democrats joined all the Republicans in the Nevada Senate who voted on April 14, 2023 to end protections for guest room attendants, who are mostly single mothers and working women of color. We applaud Democratic Senators Fabian Donate, Edgar Flores, and James Ohrenschall who stood with workers and voted no.
Historically, lawmakers have tackled issues that impact working class families: From overtime protection, requirements for breaks on-the-job, and existing cleaning regulations that have already been in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) for years and years. Daily room cleaning is another example that the Nevada Legislature has a responsibility to deal with. Elected officials, especially Democrats, should step up and protect their constituents. The Nevada Legislature must not abandon guest room attendants, who are mostly women of color.
The Culinary Union calls on the Nevada Assembly to stand with working women over huge casino companies and oppose SB441.
In March, the Culinary Union launched a campaign to engage with voters in Las Vegas neighborhoods about opposition to SB441 and to encourage the Nevada Legislature to protect guest room attendants and daily room cleaning. Voter engagement continues and photos of doorhangers and canvassers in the field continue to be posted on @Culinary226.
Culinary Union urges Nevadans to take action:
STEP 1: Call your Nevada Legislator and leave a message with them. Call: 1-860-777-1222 to be transferred to your Assembly representative. Ask them to protect guest room attendants and to oppose SB441.
STEP 2: Send an email to your Senate and Assembly representatives in Carson City: Ask them to protect guest room attendants and to oppose SB441.
STEP 3: Submit an opinion in opposition to SB441 on NELIS Opinions.
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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 88 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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