The Culinary Workers Union is calling on all casino companies to pay employees while businesses are closed due to COVID-19 concerns. UNITE HERE, the Culinary Union’s international parent union.

• LAS VEGAS (FOX5) - The Culinary Union 226 has sent a letter Thursday to Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak asking for a bill enforcing casino COVID-19 safety policies ahead of the special session.
• Earlier this week, the Culinary Union filed a lawsuit in US District Court in Las Vegas against Harrah’s Las Vegas, the Signature Condominium towers at the MGM Grand, and the Bellagio casino.

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- The Culinary Union on Friday called on the Nevada Legislature and casino companies to do more to protect workers amid the pandemic.

According to a news release, since March 1, 22 Culinary and Bartenders Union members and their spouses or dependents have died from COVID-19.

D Casino Deal With Culinary Union Las Vegas

Through July 15, according to the union, 353 Culinary and Bartenders Union members and their spouses or dependents have been hospitalized due to the virus. The Culinary Union says the number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations for Culinary and Bartenders Union members and their spouses or dependents has increased over 800% since Gov. Sisolak allowed Nevada casinos to reopen on June 4.

“Behind every worker in this state there is a family,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “Governor Sisolak, the Nevada Legislature, and casino companies must do everything they can to ensure workers and their families are protected from the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. When workers are protected, our entire community - from the hospitality industry to customers and locals are protected.'

In regards to casino companies, the Culinary Union says it is demanding safety for all hospitality and gaming workers in Nevada and is tracking what casino employers are doing to prevent COVID-19 in the following areas on CulinaryClean.org:

Requiring daily cleaning of guest rooms.Mandatory testing of all employees for COVID-19 before returning to work and regular testing thereafter.Providing adequate COVID-19 PPE for employees.Enforcing social distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures.Requiring guests to wear face masks in all public areas - The Culinary Union has been calling for all customers to wear masks in public spaces since early May. A mandatory mask policy is a good step towards protecting workers and the hospitality industry in Nevada, but much more has to be done.Posting a COVID-19 safety plan on public-facing website - After months of advocating for increased transparency, the Culinary Union is pleased that most major gaming companies have posted their COVID-19 safety plans on their public-facing websites.

In terms of Gov. Sisolak and the Nevada Legislature, the union says 'Nevada has seen a concerning rise of positive tests and hospitalizations in the last few weeks. As the largest organization of Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant workers in Nevada, it’s troubling that COVID-19 is disproportionally impacting communities of color.'

'Workers fear that they will contract the virus and bring it home to their families or possibly die from it. This is an incredible burden that no worker should have to deal with – and this fear is not just limited to Culinary Union members. All hotel and casino workers – union and non-union throughout the state are living with this same fear each day they go to work,' Culinary Union said in the release.

D Casino Deal With Culinary Union Jobs

Adolfo Fernandez, a Caesars Entertainment employee, contracted COVID-19 after being employed as a utility porter on the Strip, and passed away, the union said.

D Casino Deal With Culinary Union

According to the release, Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union sent a letter to Gov. Sisolak and Nevada Legislators requesting the Adolfo Fernandez Bill be placed on the agenda for the upcoming NVLEG 2020 special session.

D Casino Deal With Culinary Union San Francisco

The Adolfo Fernandez Bill addresses public health and would mandate:

D Casino Deal With Culinary Union Pay

Enhanced cleaning procedures such as daily room cleaning.Enforce social distancing.Free testing for all workers before going back to work or those that have been exposed to COVID-19.Temperature-checks for workers.Detailed plans of action for when a worker contracts COVID-19 or is exposed to someone with the virus.Enhanced safety training for all employees.