Culinary Union Candidates Begin Campaigns

Monday, March 25, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Challengers, led by longtime banquet server Robert Lanyon and Islena Giron, are betting their grass-roots approach to return the union to "the little guy" can unseat the incumbents in the May 14 election.

Culinary Local 226 secretary-treasurer Jim Arnold cited the union's increase in size from 18,000 to 36,000 in the nine years since he's been in office, and other achievements, including creation of a union training center.

"Our track record speaks for itself," Arnold said.

This year, the union is working to organize the MGM Grand, Stratosphere, Monte Carlo, Main Street Station and New York-New York resorts - an effort that could swell the union's ranks by another 10,000 members.

"Organizing is the answer to the future of any union now," Arnold said.

The current leadership's demonstrated ability to organize members means the union can bargain from a strong position to ensure its members get their fair share, said Hattie Canty, Culinary president.

Lanyon questions how successful the union has been, citing its last three-year contract reached in 1994 as an example.

He noted the contract offers only quarter-per-year wage increases and said he lost money because of new caps on some gratuities for workers.

Arnold acknowledged that the quarter raises aren't as much as the union would have liked to have won for members and pledged to seek more substantial wages in the 1997 round of contract talks.

Lanyon said his slate would work to give the rank-and-file members a greater voice in the union's direction. He also said changes must be made in the way membership meetings are conducted so members feel comfortable taking part.