Nevada: Culinary Union to call for full transparency and protection from casinos

Culinary Union Local 226 has announced that it will be hosting a car caravan on Las Vegas Strip and demand for companies to share their full re-opening plans, and implement strong worker and tourist protections as Nevada casino resorts prepare to reopen.

"Nevada has a chance to be a leader in the hospitality industry," said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. "If casino companies will not release their plans and be transparent before reopening how can customers and workers know they will be safe?"

BREAKING: Culinary Union to host a car caravan on Las Vegas Strip, demand for casino companies to share their full re-opening plans, & implement strong worker and tourist protections

WHEN: Tuesday, May 12th, 2020 at 5pm

WHERE: Las Vegas Striphttps://t.co/LI513n5HiF pic.twitter.com/ogJApE5ndh

— The Culinary Union (@Culinary226) May 11, 2020

As stated in the organization's press release, the Culinary Union is calling on Nevada casino companies to post their full safety guidelines and reopening plans on their website so that the public can access them promptly.

They also demand the Nevada Gaming Commission incorporate the Culinary Union’s proposed public health guidelines as a minimum standard in evaluating casino companies’ individual plans, as the Commission met May 7 and failed to implement the proposed safety guidelines, and that the Commission release publicly all re-opening plans submitted by gaming companies. 

The Culinary Union is also urging Governor Sisolak and County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick to call on the Nevada Gaming Commission to adopt the Culinary Union safety requirements and release gaming companies’ safety policies.

Culinary Union’s proposal regarding public health guidelines include: 

• Prevention: This includes testing of workers for the virus and antibodies and screening both workers and guests on entry (temperature checks), as well as reducing the number of surfaces that are touched by multiple people.
• Protection: PPE should be made widely available to workers and guests alike. Also, steps should be taken to maintain appropriate distancing among guests and workers in each facility.
• Enhanced cleaning: More frequent and more intensive cleaning of all surfaces will be necessary. So too will ensuring that workers have the appropriate training and sufficient time to follow cleaning protocols.
• Implementation and enforcement: These guidelines will require detailed protocols unique to each gaming facility. Clear lines of authority, accountability, and monitoring must be established. To ensure that workers have a voice in ongoing implementation and enforcement, joint labor-management health and safety committees should be created. 

The Culinary Union represents 60,000 workers in NV who work at hotels and casinos on the Strip and Downtown. The caravan will begin at 5 p.m. on Las Vegas Boulevard.