On Thursday, over 1,000 workers and young people who are members the Nevada State AFL-CIO, and UNITE HERE’s Culinary Union rallied in Las Vegas to highlight their fight to protect hospitality workers.
UNITE HERE are fighting US President Trump’s anti-worker and anti-immigration policies.
After the rally, union leaders also joined Democrat Congress woman Representative Dina Titus and others to discuss how federal cuts are threatening the livelihoods of working people.
The Culinary Union, the Nevada affiliate of UNITE HERE, represents tens of thousands of workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including those at most casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in downtown Las Vegas.
These members are fighting back against the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant workers and disastrous cuts to essential programs like Medicaid.
Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union said: ‘The “Trump Slump” is real and it’s happening in Las Vegas.
‘This administration promised it was going to take on costs of groceries, eggs, rent and now that’s gone.
‘They’ve completely forgotten about their promise to fight the cost of living.
We’re telling this administration we need a course correction because it’s costing us jobs and hurting Las Vegas right now.’
Susie Martinez, executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada State AFL-CIO, said: ‘Our economy is losing jobs and putting working families at risk.
‘Instead of tackling the cost of living, Trump is targeting immigrants, arresting hardworking gardeners and dishwashers while big corporations continue to profit.
‘It’s a travesty, Nevada workers are standing together to demand an economy that works for everyone.’
The number of job openings in the United States decreased by more than economists were expecting in July as companies respond to President Donald Trump’s trade war and immigration crackdown.
Open jobs in the quarterly JOLTS which was published on Thursday fell to a rounded 7.2 million, down from 7.4 million in June, the Labour Department said.
Economic forecasts for the report ranged from 7.3 million to 7.5 million.
The drop marks the first time unemployed Americans have outnumbered available jobs since 2021.
There are currently 7.24 million jobseekers and 7.18 million open positions.
Private sector vacancies decreased for the second month in a row, falling to 6.4 million in July from 6.5 million in June and 6.9 million in May.
Job openings decreased in health care and social assistance by 181,000, in arts and entertainment by 62,000, and in mining and logging by 13,000.
New hires increased slightly to 5.3 million, and the number of people quitting their jobs held steady at 3.2 million.
The latest job opening data follows a sour July employment report from the Labour Department that showed just 106,000 jobs being added to the economy across May, June and July.
The economy needs between 80,000 and 100,000 new jobs per month to make up for regular attrition rates.
The report prompted President Trump to fire the Labour Department’s chief statistician.
Trump claimed that the data was ‘rigged’ but didn’t provide any evidence to back up the claim.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said: ‘This unusual situation suggests that downside risks to employment are rising.
‘And if those risks materialise, they can do so quickly in the form of sharply higher layoffs and rising unemployment.’
Economists have described Trump’s immigration policy as having ‘dramatic’ effects on the jobs market that could detract from total US economic output in the coming years.
- More than 200 drivers at Genesis Logistics, a subsidiary of DHL Supply Chain, started a strike on Thursday after the company failed to bargain seriously and committed multiple unfair labour practices.
The Teamsters Local branch 322 members deliver to 7-Eleven convenience stores across the Mid-Atlantic and are demanding a fair first contract that includes real wage increases, affordable health care, and safer working conditions.
Derrick Quinn, a Genesis Logistics driver and member of Local 322 said: ‘This company has a legal and moral obligation to bargain with us constructively.
‘Instead, management has dragged their feet, disrespected the collective bargaining process, and left us no choice but to strike.’
Genesis drivers voted by over 90 per cent to join the Teamsters in April.
Since then, management has refused to engage in serious negotiations and ramped up its anti-union tactics.
Dwayne Johnson, Teamsters International Organiser said: ‘Our members are done waiting.
‘The company’s stall tactics and arrogance have only strengthened our resolve.
‘We’ll stay out as long as it takes until Genesis starts treating workers with dignity and respect.’
Bill Hamilton, Director of the Teamsters Express Division and Teamsters Eastern Region International Vice President said: ‘Genesis Logistics has made it clear they would rather stall and intimidate workers than sit down and hammer out a fair deal.
‘We’re not going to let them get away with it.
- Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, has defended his leadership of US health agencies in a fiery Senate hearing, as lawmakers grilled him over his vaccine policies and other sweeping changes.
During three hours of testimony, Democrats accused Kennedy of lying and restricting Americans’ access to vaccines.
Several Republican senators also raised concerns.
The hearing comes a week after Kennedy fired the leader of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a clash over his vaccine policies.
Since taking the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in February, some of Kennedy’s decisions have alarmed health experts.
In June, he fired every member of a panel of independent vaccine experts that issues recommendations for immunisations.
Public health experts raised concerns about the qualifications of the members – several of whom are vaccine critics – appointed in their place.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on Thursday, Susan Monarez, the former head of the CDC, claims she was fired because she refused to rubber-stamp vaccine recommendations from the new panel.
During Thursday’s hearing, the Senate Finance Committee’s ranking Democrat, Ron Wyden of Oregon, pressed Kennedy on Monarez’s accusation.
The health secretary denied it, saying he had told her to resign after asking her if she was a trustworthy person. He said she had responded ‘no’.
He described the overhaul at the agency – which included the resignations of several top officials as ‘absolutely necessary’, and that it had ‘failed miserably during Covid’.
