Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Q&A:

D. Taylor

Culinary Union secretary-treasurer

D Taylor

Worker advocate: D. Taylor, Culinary Union secretary-treasurer and head of the international union’s gaming division, talks in his office June 9, 2009.

To step into Culinary Union boss D. Taylor’s Commerce Street office is to step into a museum of Las Vegas union activity. There is the collection of buttons relaying Culinary campaign slogans.

There are photographs of Taylor and then-presidential candidate Barack Obama during one of his several stops in Las Vegas. There are tributes to inspirational labor leaders, including Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers. And there is the cluttered desk, covered with papers and photographs of his family.

In Business Las Vegas sat down with Taylor, who has been involved in Las Vegas union activity for 22 years, to discuss the economy, politics and the union’s efforts to help its members.

IBLV: The economy has hurt many in Las Vegas. How has the recession affected Las Vegas Culinary members?

Taylor: Several ways. One, we’ve had more people laid off than we’ve ever had laid off. We’ve had more people have reduced hours than we’ve ever had. We’ve had less opportunity for growth, for promotional opportunities. And I think it’s brought a fair amount of anxiety and insecurity that Las Vegas had not seen at least for 20 years.

What has the Culinary been able to do to soften the effect of the recession?

Well, there are several things. One, as you know, our health plan is the only health plan that even if you work reduced hours you can make up the difference in a self-pay to keep your full benefits. Then, beginning July 1st, we’re going to offer a health plan called Life Saver. If you’ve been laid off, lost your health insurance, for $75 a month you’re going to be able to cover you and your family for doctor’s visits, pharmacy and lab testing, which is a way to get through. If you have diabetes, if your kid has asthma, that’s a big deal.

Our housing fund, we established that, actually, in the last year. We’ve had over 30 people acquire homes, but also we’ve done foreclosure assistance and helped people try to get out of that horrible dilemma.

Third, what we’ve done is, in working with the companies, we’ve tried to figure out how to do some job sharing so we can keep full-time people on the jobs.

Job sharing?

For example, if I am trained as a particular type of porter and I have skills in another type, I can do both positions to get full time rather than bring in somebody that’s a steady extra.

Are you satisfied that the hotels have been operated in a way that preserved jobs and hours as much as possible, given how bad the downturn has been?

Well, there’s always a fair amount of anger and frustration when layoffs occur where our members think that affects customer service because, ultimately, customers make decisions to go to a place based on customer service and cleanliness. At the same time, I don’t think any companies have wanted to lay people off and reduce hours. I think they have gotten caught in this vice of an enormous amount of debt and also declining revenues. So, it has put them in a very precarious situation. At the same time, all of those reductions had to be done in a way that is a clear system so there is no question on that. But there is a fair amount of frustration because, obviously, people are scared, but, at the same time, they think that some of the customer service and cleanliness issues have not been addressed as well as they’d like.

You mentioned workweek reductions. I’m assuming that the union has agreed to the cuts?

We haven’t agreed to that. That’s just how it works. For example, if you’re laid off and there is some extra work, they can call you in for extra work. But there has been a general reduction. The same percentage of full-time work hours hasn’t changed. What it just means is that people are in layoff status, and if there is extra work they get called in to it if they want.

How have the members, especially those with seniority, reacted to this?

The ones with seniority basically haven’t been touched. It’s the less senior ones who have been touched much more. At the same time, this has affected everybody. If you’re on a tip classification, you’ve been hit because of less visitors and also less disposable income. It has been a whammy on all.

In the last contract, there was a homeownership element. One positive to come out of the bad economy has been a drop in home prices. Have more workers been able to buy homes, or has access to credit been a problem?

We actually set up the (homeownership) fund. We have 30 people who have bought homes and we have another 25 in a pipeline. Our goal is to have well over 200 get to the position of buying a home. So, if there’s been any silver lining, it’s that home prices have dropped so much they’ve become much more affordable. At the same time, our fund has been very instrumental in helping people acquire homes for the first time. (One member who worked) 38 years, never owned a home and just got one. That’s exciting.

On the flip side, obviously we have had members affected by the foreclosure crisis, like anybody else; we’ve tried to help them, but that’s become a very messy situation for Las Vegas and the country.

Also, in terms of homeownership, has the Culinary done anything to help members facing foreclosure?

Well, we have offered services. We’ve used our homeownership fund as a way to offer services. We also had a few workshops. Unfortunately, there’s not enough money to deal with all the foreclosure crises. But we’ve had two or three workshops down here with banks and other lenders, and, also, we have a foreclosure hotline with our homeownership fund. It’s one thing for people to buy a home. At the same time, if they’re losing their home (a homeowner might say), “How can I deal with that?”

Contract 2007 is 40 percent through. Are there any issues in that contract that need revision or improvement in 2012? And, if so, why?

Right now everybody’s somewhat in survival mode. I can’t even imagine 2012 right now. What I think we’re trying to do is figure out how we deal with this horrendous recession and how we make sure people’s health benefits and their retirement benefits are fully protected — and hope for a better day. I have no idea about 2012. We’re trying to deal with 2009.

Are there any concerns that concessions made now may make your job more difficult in 2012?

Whatever we (the union and gaming companies) decide to do, we’re going to do together. Whatever we decide to do, I think will be done with two ideas. One, to clearly protect the integrity of the entire contract, and at the same time, understand that we’re partners with these casinos. Now, a partnership is never perfect. No marriage is ever perfect, but as casinos go, we go. We view it that way. We think we have a higher responsibility, obviously, first and foremost to our members, but also to make sure the industry (remains viable) and is, as much as possible, on good solid ground.

Which are the properties that are outside of that contract? What are the status of those contracts and are there any issues?

MGM Grand, which we have said in meetings with the company, that we have to get that done, and I think we will shortly. The Wynn contract was a 10-year contract. And then we have a lot of contracts like the airport and food service, which are on different cycles.

Are there any issues with those contracts?

No, they just have a different timeline.

There are a lot of troubled properties: Tropicana, Sahara, Riviera, Stratosphere, along with a bunch of downtown properties. Do you expect continued job losses and maybe closures at those properties?

I hope not. We’re in a precarious situation here in this town. At the same time, I have a lot of optimism about it coming back. We’re definitely in a rough patch, and I think it will last awhile longer. But I have a lot of faith. After awhile, people want to go out, they want to have a good time. They also want to enjoy themselves. I think Vegas is the perfect place to do that.

The union backed Barack Obama in the Nevada presidential caucus last year. Although he lost in the vote, he won the nomination and more delegates than his opponent, Hillary Clinton. The Culinary and its members obviously placed a lot of faith in Obama. What are your biggest hopes for what an Obama administration can deliver for the country, working people and the Culinary?

First and foremost, to get the economy back on track. I mean, that is the No. 1 issue for everybody: to get people working, to decrease the unemployment and to get money in the pockets of workers throughout. And also, to deal with this home foreclosure crisis. First and foremost, the economy.

No. 2, we are quite concerned about health care. Health care costs have escalated tremendously. We don’t think that responsible employers should bear the burden of those employers who don’t provide health insurance, or decent health insurance.

And No. 3, obviously we’re very interested in the union-organizing issue. So those are the three issues swirling around. Education is also an issue, but that always tends to be more of a state issue than a federal issue.

How important is the card-check issue for the American labor movement?

Vegas is a good example. Here, that has been a vehicle for us to organize. Clearly, some of the businesses have done well. We have done well. Workers have done well. Vegas is known as the new Pittsburgh — it’s where a housekeeper or a food service worker can buy a home. That was clearly done with a healthy economy, but through the unionization effort, through card check. Vegas is the perfect example of how this works well. Those pundits and those politicians who have questioned (card check) should come to Vegas and see for themselves.

Would it be worth it to compromise on the card-check bill to get rid of some of the most abusive employer practices?

I think they should be gotten rid of anyway, but I’m sure the politicians in Washington, and whomever else, will work on that. I think that it’s a travesty, the present system, and that’s why we have always pushed for card checks. People are able to get health insurance, they’re able to get retirement, they’re able to get rights quickly, as compared to waiting for years. There’s numerous examples of that around the country and, certainly, just in this town, too.

Locally, your union strongly protects its health care benefits and aggressively tries to keep costs low to protect those benefits. What would you like to see as the administration and Congress tackle health care reform?

Two things. One, I think there has to be this issue of quality. It’s not just cost, it’s quality. A perfect example of that is you could buy a cheap car, but if it’s a clunker, forget it. Quality is very important. And two, there should be a lot of transparency. For example, you can go online right now, like Consumer Reports, and judge how cars are. You can judge how certain beers are. You can judge anything except medical care. I think we should have the same thing so that if doctors have been found to have bad practices, that should be known. I don’t think medical care should be devoid of transparency. We have it in any other consumer product that we buy. So I think quality and transparency.

How helpful is it to Nevada workers to have Sen. Harry Reid in his position of power?

Oh, I think that’s extremely helpful. The idea of a small state like Nevada having a Senate majority leader being at the center of decisions is just crucial.

Is there any question that the Culinary will support Sen. Reid’s reelection effort?

No, there’s no question. None.

The legislative session recently concluded, cutting significant spending to keep the budget balanced, along with increasing payroll and room taxes. Were you satisfied with the choices the Legislature made given the political realities in Carson City?

It’s easy to be an armchair quarterback. I think, ultimately, this state has got to grapple with a revenue issue and a budget issue that’s more in line with the 21st century, and not on the structure that was really developed 60, 70 years ago, but has not changed much. I just don’t think that’s practical due to our growth and due to the economy as it is today. Hopefully, the Legislature will do that in the next session. I just think that was clearly just a crisis session.

Assess the legislative leadership of (Assembly Speaker) Barbara Buckley and (Senate Majority Leader) Steven Horsford.

I wasn’t up there. Clearly, I think they did an admirable job in the most difficult circumstances.

What’s a long-term solution to the cyclic budget fiascoes in Carson City?

I know they’re going to do some kind of study, which I’ve been around when they did another study and another study. I think, for what ultimately has to be, is that we have to diversify our tax base and not be so reliant on gaming and sales tax. That is so cyclic, and it has shown that it puts us in crisis. We’re like about the last in the nation in every category you want to be good in and we’re No. 1 in all those categories you don’t want to be good in. Education is a perfect example. We are short selling our children and our future so much; the idea of diversifying our economy without having a solid educational system is not going to happen. We have to address that and deal with it.

Same thing with public health. As you saw just recently, emergency rooms are filled again with mental health patients who need psychiatric care, but because of the budget, it’s been cut. We have to, as a community, take care of one another. No one’s looking for handouts, but we’re looking for opportunities.

Will the Culinary be a supporter of a broad-based business tax that goes beyond gaming?

Yes, we’ve always been a supporter of that. We’ve been on record for years on that.

The union won a Pyrrhic victory when the Supreme Court ruled that the District Court judge should have put the redevelopment initiatives on the ballot, but deciding it wouldn’t be economical to do so at this time. Do you anticipate bringing this issue before the voters again?

We’re going to assess that. People are a little tired of the political process right now. We just went through a presidential election and legislative (session). At the same time, we think the issues raised are absolutely crucial. For example, we think that voters should actually have a right to vote on big projects that deal with bonds that (Las Vegas) is circumventing. Because, ultimately, that money comes from somewhere, and we think the money should go toward education. We just think voters should have the right to vote.

Is that why this is an issue that is important to the union?

We probably are the single largest organization that has children in the Clark County School District, and our schools are getting strangled. They’re getting underfunded. They’re going about cutting out band, orchestra, all these opportunities. We think, at a time like that, voters have a right to choose between whether we should fund kids or whether we should give big corporate welfare to developers.

How important do you think it is for the state and workers that Gov. Jim Gibbons isn’t reelected?

Well, I think the voters will decide that. When we have needed an enormous amount of leadership in difficult times we have gotten slogans, as compared to leadership. I think we all lose because of that.

In regard to the 2010 governor’s race, would you be inclined to support Buckley or Horsford? What about Republicans Michael Montandon or Joe Heck?

I have no idea. We’re not even thinking about that. We’re frankly trying to really focus on our members right now and their trials and tribulations, and making sure we can get people through this economic crisis. That’s our first priority, our second priority and our third priority.

How has the acrimony at the top of the parent union, Unite Here, affected Local 226? And do you expect to continue representing laundry workers who were with Unite before the merger?

Out here in the hinterland it hasn’t had too much effect. It’s been distracting, which is unfortunate, particularly when the service employees say they want to organize gaming workers now. I think the laundry worker contract here is the best in the country. Without any question I know that. That kind of synergy between large, whether it be hotels or casinos and laundries, it needs to work in many more cities to bring laundry worker standards up like we have here in Las Vegas.

Are you hopeful that meaningful immigration reform that would include a path to citizenship for undocumented noncitizens is something that is possible in the near term?

I sure hope so. It’s long overdue. I’m very optimistic about President Obama’s initiative. There needs to be a pathway to citizenship that involves both the kind of things that were outlined in the bill that, frankly, Sen. (John) McCain supported just about two years ago. Any immigration issue needs to be addressed and resolved without the kind of demagoguery that has been surrounding it.

Do you think Nevada gaming regulators have abdicated their power to protect state tax revenue and the casino industry’s workers by allowing debt-funded or big debt-financed takeovers like those at Aztar, Harrah’s or Stations?

I think that the Gaming Control Board has really abdicated its responsibility of oversight in many areas. One was when the Tropicana lost its license in New Jersey and (the board) didn’t even hold a hearing here ... It loses its license based on integrity and honesty and Nevada is silent.

The lawsuit that the Venetian lost about what occurred in Macau, etc. No hearing held. Those are two prime examples where clearly a real regulatory body would look at, hold hearings and come to a conclusion. It did nothing, which I find to be amazing.

On the whole finance debt issue, I think that based on what’s occurred in the last year, hopefully the Gaming Control Board will look at this, but I’m not optimistic since it has apparently abdicated its responsibility in many areas. It is clearly in violation of the privileged license that you have with gaming.

What would you like to see gaming regulators do to better protect the state and its workers?

The gaming regulators have apparently done nothing over the last few years. Just those examples I gave of the Tropicana are perfect examples. I would like them, frankly, to do the job that the Gaming Control Board used to do. Apparently, though, over the past few years it completely, as I said, was not present when the industry, quite frankly, needed it. The state needed it. The workers have needed it. You know, the industry needs this. To self-regulate, we just saw how ridiculous that is with the banking industry.

I get the idea that they have done the same thing here and I think that is not good.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

Our workers in the valley are in a challenging situation. The only way to get through that is that we actually act like a community. That is absolutely essential. The Culinary Union can offer stuff for its members but that doesn’t solve (problems) for many people who are not (members). We as a community have got to figure out and step up, be it with either public health or other needs that are out there. The No. 1 objective of every public official is how they can help workers at this time.

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