FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, May 6th, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Geoconda Argüello-Kline regarding limiting no-knock warrants (SB50):
The Culinary Union supports Senate Bill 50 limiting no knock warrants, including a full ban on the practice.
The Culinary Union represents 60,000 working families in Nevada - a majority of members are Black, immigrants, and people of color. The need for this bill was exemplified by the murder of Breonna Taylor. Tragically there are countless others, disproportionately people of color, who through no fault of their own, have lost their lives or their loved ones due to the flawed nature of the criminal justice system.
We applaud the Attorney General for his leadership and for bringing this bill forward, and ask the Nevada Legislature to continue to look for ways to make the criminal justice system more just.
As the largest organization of Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant workers in Nevada, the Culinary Union urges the Nevada Legislature to support and pass SB50.
—
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 health care 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 for working families in Nevada for 86 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
###