Nev. Culinary Union: Bernie Backers 'Viciously Attacked' Us

Nevada's most politically powerful union, the casino workers' Culinary Union, is so far staying quiet on whether it will endorse a candidate as the Democratic presidential race swings west, but Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., appears unlikely.

The Culinary Union tweeted a statement from its secretary-treasurer Geoconda Argüello-Kline:

"It's disappointing Senator Sanders' supporters have viciously attacked the Culinary Union & working families in NV simply because we provided facts on proposals that might takeaway what we have built over 8 decades."

Doubts about whether the heavily Latino, majority female union would back a candidate emerged January, when Culinary's parent organization, Unite Here, announced it would not endorse in the primary.

Culinary has typically followed Unite Here's lead, and with early voting in Nevada's caucuses set to start Saturday morning, it's unclear how much backing and organizing power they can offer in a short time frame.

Joe Biden is not counting on the labor group's help.

The former vice president's campaign told top donors in a Wednesday call that Biden does not expect the Culinary Union to back a candidate but said he has good relationships with union leaders and expects strong support from union members in Nevada, according to a participant on the call who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal campaign discussions.

Bethany Khan, a spokeswoman for the union, said Wednesday the union is still figuring out whether it will make an endorsement before the Feb. 22 caucuses.

While the union is not tipping its hand in any one candidate's favor, it has not stayed out of the race. Last week and this week, the union distributed leaflets to its members warning Sens. Bernie Sanders', I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren's, D-Mass., Medicare for All proposals would end the union's prized health insurance plans.

The most pointed leaflet, released Tuesday night and distributed to employee dining rooms at casinos, compared the Democratic field's stances on healthcare, saying Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Mass., and Tom Steyer would "Protect Culinary Healthcare." The leaflet says Sanders would "End Culinary Healthcare" and "Require 'Medicare for All'" while Warren would "Replace Culinary Healthcare" after a three-year transition or the end of collective bargaining agreements.

A leaflet distributed last week did not name any candidates but said generally that "presidential candidates suggesting forcing millions of hard working people to give up their healthcare creates unnecessary division between workers, and will give us four more years of [President Donald] Trump."

With the release of Tuesday's flyer, the union started receiving backlash from some Sanders supporters online and through dozens of phone calls and emails Wednesday, according to Khan. The union's leader, Geoconda Argüello-Kline, said in a statement that the backlash was "disappointing" and the union was simply providing facts.

"We have welcomed Sen. Bernie Sanders into our union for a town hall with Culinary Union members, and we hosted tours of the Culinary Health Center and the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas with Sen. Sanders to show what we have fought for and won," she said.

Culinary's rank and file and leadership have repeatedly warned candidates they do not want to give up their plans. The union's prized health plan, achieved through years of hard bargaining, offers its members robust care for no monthly premium cost and no deductible.

Buttigieg, who has made a point to highlight Culinary's health insurance when pitching his own plan, name-checked the union Wednesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"If the choice is between Sen. Sanders telling them they're going to have to give that up and me saying that we can enhance and increase choice without asking them to sacrifice what they have worked so hard for, I think that is a very good debate for us to have, and I'm looking forward to having that debate," Buttigieg said.