Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Employees Union Local 226, has retired after 32 years of advocating for hospitality workers with the influential union.
Argüello-Kline, who has served as the secretary-treasurer of the union for the closing decade, retired on Feb. 3, the union launched Friday.
“It is with so well-known savor in my coronary heart that I declare it has been an honor of my existence to symbolize Culinary Union participants as an elected officer,” Argüello-Kline wrote in a letter to union participants.
Argüello-Kline witnessed, and had an active function, in one of the principal most ideal labor actions in most up-to-date Las Vegas historical previous in her extra than three a long time with the union, in conjunction with serving as a director within the campaign to unionize the Rio and because the an organizer within the labor strike towards the Fresh Frontier. The bitter strike between the on line casino and its workers would coast on to be on of the longest within the nation’s historical previous, lasting 6 years, 4 months and 10 days sooner than it ended in 1998.
“Thinking back over my 32 years, there is principally nothing we didn’t are attempting or discontinuance within the fight to guard workers, spot up, enlarge benefits, inquire of our objective appropriate-looking out half as companies made file earnings, elect political leaders who will symbolize workers, abet elected leaders in control of their actions or inactions, and champion points which might be principal to working families,” Argüello-Kline wrote.
She became born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua, and fled the country as a political refugee, arriving in Miami in 1979. She moved to Las Vegas four years later and started working as a guest room attendant at Fitzgeralds. She went on to affix the Culinary Union in 1990 as an organizer.
In 2012, Argüello-Kline became promoted to the function of the union’s secretary-treasurer, changing into the first female and first Hispanic to lead the 60,000-member union that represents hospitality workers in Las Vegas, replacing D. Taylor who had been promoted himself to president of Culinary’s parent organization UNITE HERE.
Nevada Insist AFL-CIO Govt Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez acknowledged that workers across Nevada “are better for having Geoconda Argüello-Kline’s service in our labor accelerate.”
“In Nevada, we on the general hit upon at our Culinary union siblings for inspiration on what might objective additionally be done. Ethical the previous two years with the odds stacked towards them struggling with the pandemic they spot nationwide precedent on programs to fight for employee safety and job protections beneath the leadership of Argüello-Kline,” Martinez acknowledged in a negate. “With 32 years of service and endless campaigns won, improving the lives of workers, Argüello-Kline’s impression stretches across our instruct.”
Ted Pappageorge, the old union president, has taken over as the union’s recent secretary-treasurer and Diana Valles has assumed her recent function as president.
Contact Colton Lochhead at [email protected] Apply @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.
