The Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, recently donated thousands of historical photos, film negatives, and slides to the UNLV University Libraries.
Depicting strikes, rallies, and other Union member activities spanning several decades, the images show the Culinary Union's dynamic role in shaping Las Vegas history over the years. This extensive collection will be curated, digitized, and preserved. A wide selection of images from the collection will be made available online for community members, students, and researchers around the world.
The Culinary Union is the largest union in Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. The donation of this image collection to the UNLV Libraries provides an invaluable perspective on the history of labor in the region. The images highlight the diversity of Southern Nevada's hospitality workforce and the Culinary Union's tireless efforts to improve the living standards of generations of the women and men working in Las Vegas' world-famous casino resorts, telling a rich story of the region's growth and people.
"We are pleased to share the Culinary Union's archives with UNLV," said Geoconda Arguello-Kline, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union. "Culinary Union members comprise a large majority of the middle class in Nevada, and our fight to make service-sector hospitality jobs good jobs is well documented in this collection."
The sharing of this collection represents the deepening bonds between the Culinary Union, UNLV, and the Las Vegas community.
"The history of the Culinary Union is essential for understanding the growth of Las Vegas," said Michelle Light, director of UNLV Libraries special collections division. "These images provide a valuable window into the past. It's important for Las Vegas history that we preserve the diverse perspectives that make up our historical record. We are pleased that the Culinary Union has entrusted us with the care of their history. We will help ensure that future generations can have access to the photos to study and learn from."
For more information, please visit UNLV Libraries' Special Collections
About the Culinary Union
Culinary Workers Local 226 and Bartenders Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 55,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. UNITE HERE represents 270,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
About UNLV University Libraries
In support of UNLV's mission and shared values, the UNLV University Libraries contribute to and support learners as they discover, access, and use information effectively for academic success, research, and lifelong learning. The UNLV University Libraries define the new academic research library--bringing people and information together in innovative ways.
