Nevada’s Culinary Union: Bernie Sanders Supporters ‘Viciously Attacked’ Us for Healthcare Critique

Democratic presidential hopeful Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders arrives to speak at a Prima
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Nevada’s Culinary Union, which boasts of 60,000 members, says supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have “viciously attacked” the organization and working families due to the organization’s recent policy explainer, which notes the socialist senator’s intention to erase union health benefits under Medicare for All.

The influential union, which describes itself as Nevada’s “largest immigrant organization,” recently sent an informational flyer to members highlighting policy positions of six Democrat presidential candidates, including Sanders. The pamphlet shows that the presidential hopeful would effectively “End Culinary Healthcare” under Medicare for All — a position the union disapproves of:

The union released a statement following the release of the explainer condemning Sanders supporters for allegedly attacking the union and working families:

“We have welcomed Senator 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 Senator Sanders, to show what we have fought for and won,” the statement reads, emphasizing the union’s belief that “everyone has the right to good healthcare and that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.”

“Workers should have the right to choose to keep the healthcare Culinary Union members have built, sacrificed for, and went on strike for 6 years, 4 months, and 10 days to protect,” the statement adds.

It continued:

It’s disappointing that Senator Sanders’ supporters have viciously attacked the Culinary Union and working families in Nevada simply because our union has provided facts on what certain healthcare proposals might do to take away the system of care we have built over 8 decades.

We have always stood up for what we believe in and will continue to do so. The Culinary Union has faced some of the toughest companies who wanted to break our union, and even the President of the United States Donald Trump – and won.

Together, we will figure out the best way to fix healthcare in America, and the Culinary Union is committed to fighting until we win for everyone.

An endorsement from the influential union could go far in the upcoming Nevada caucuses. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) jumped on the opportunity to stand in solidarity with union members.

“No one should attack @Culinary226 and its members for fighting hard for themselves and their families,” she wrote.

“Like them, I want to see every American get high-quality and affordable health care—and I’m committed to working with them to achieve that goal,” she added:

The union’s flyer also noted that Warren would replace Culinary Healthcare “after a 3-year transition or at the end of collective bargaining agreements.” It listed Joe Biden (D), Pete Buttigieg (D), Tom Steyer (D), and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as candidates who would “Protect Culinary Healthcare.”

Sanders told a town hall attendee in August that his Medicare for All plan would “absolutely” take away the right to bargain for medical benefits.

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