jennifer medina So they’re like, yeah — Oh. [interposing voices] jennifer medina Hi. Should we take a photo? [speaker] This is a perfect match. Come on. jennifer medina [LAUGHING] austin mitchell Describe what that was. jennifer medina So that was two showgirls with giant feather crowns. And they have, like, wings? clare toeniskoetter Wings. jennifer medina Wings on the back with black and white feathers. Knee-high black patent leather boots. austin mitchell Topless. jennifer medina Topless, but with rhinestones on the nipples. clare toeniskoetter Can we say that on the radio? jennifer medina I don’t know. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jennifer medina

From The New York Times, this is “The Field.” I’m Jenny Medina in Las Vegas, Nevada.

jennifer medina We have just entered a casino, and I’m sort of overwhelmed by the number of sounds and lights. Oh, a cocktail waitress in a blue lace dress, short. This is roulette. This is blackjack. I think this is craps with dice, you roll the dice. I can imagine, like, a James Bond scenario, where you walk in, high heels, strutting. I sort of have a cigarette in my mind in this fantasy. Money is no object. I’m just here to play with it. I’m just here to have a good time, queen of the world for one day, or one night. That’s what Vegas is all about, this like complete fantasy life. But to make all that happen, behind that all, are thousands and thousands and thousands of people who often can kind of seem to almost blend into the scenery. Serving drinks, serving food, cleaning up, fulfilling whatever wish or dream you’ve got for the night. And there’s something that unites most of them. clare toeniskoetter Is the staff here — are you in the union? speaker 1 Yes. clare toeniskoetter Which union? speaker 1 Culinary. clare toeniskoetter OK. jennifer medina Are you part of a union? speaker 2 Yeah. jennifer medina Which union are you a part of? speaker 2 Culinary. jennifer medina Culinary. OK, thank you so much. austin mitchell Just wondering, are you a part of a union here? speaker 3 Union? austin mitchell Yeah. speaker 3 Culinary. austin mitchell Culinary? speaker 3 Yes. jennifer medina The Culinary, which is Nevada’s largest union. And it’s considered one of the most powerful players in Democratic politics.

jennifer medina

So the Culinary Union has about 60,000 people in the state of Nevada. And that is pretty remarkable, because it’s in a state where only 84,000 people participated in the last Democratic caucus. And the Culinary Union is a hugely diverse organization. It’s overwhelmingly women. It’s more than 50 percent Latino, with another large population of black and Asian-American workers. And with Nevada being the first predominantly nonwhite state to weigh in on the presidential race, that makes the Culinary Union’s endorsement sought after by all the presidential candidates. And the union members really understand this power. They chant, “When we vote, we win.” They know that if they vote together they really have the power to influence elections. And this year, it’s particularly interesting because it all centers around one issue. And that’s their very generous health care plan that the union has really fought hard to get.

clare toeniskoetter OK. You guys ready? car door closing

jennifer medina

So earlier this week, I went with producers Austin Mitchell and Clare Toeniskoetter to the Culinary Union Hall, an industrial group of buildings in the shadow of the Las Vegas strip. And we went to speak with two women, Gloria Hernandez and Elodia Muniz.

jennifer medina We met before. How are you?

jennifer medina

They’re both in their 60s, very well-put-together, wearing jewelry, and nice manicured nails. And Elodia is wearing a red union t-shirt.

jennifer medina So tell us when you first became members of the Culinary Union? gloria hernandez Well, I can tell you was in October 1988.

jennifer medina

That’s Gloria.

jennifer medina And how about you? elodia muniz May 2, 1992.

jennifer medina

And that’s Elodia.

jennifer medina Wow. You both know the exact date? gloria hernandez Yes.

jennifer medina

Why?

gloria hernandez First, because was my first union job in United States. And it’s something that’s going to change my life and my family. So that’s why I, I never forget the date. jennifer medina Where are you from? gloria hernandez I’m from Mexico, South Mexico, Guadalajara. I just come in 1985. And I was like 27 years old.

jennifer medina

So the first couple years Gloria was here, she was raising her kids, working some odd jobs, mostly babysitting and cleaning apartments.

gloria hernandez And then this is what I do before I started working at The Frontier.

jennifer medina

She’s talking about The Frontier Hotel and Casino. It’s not around anymore. But it was one of the first hotels and casinos on the strip. It had this Western theme. And in 1956 —

archived recording Let’s welcome, ladies and gentlemen, Elvis Presley.

jennifer medina

— it hosted a 21-year-old Elvis Presley in his first Las Vegas performance.

archived recording (elvis presley) (SINGING) Well, since my baby left me. Well, I found a new place to dwell. Well, it’s down at the end of Lonely Street at Heartbreak Hotel. gloria hernandez And I start working as a bus person.

jennifer medina

And when Gloria started in 1988, the hotel was unionized.

jennifer medina And you knew immediately that when you started working there that you would get health insurance. gloria hernandez Yes, because was a union.

jennifer medina

But then —

gloria hernandez When the Elardi family buy the property, she said I’m not going to have a union. And I said, no way.

jennifer medina

there was a new owner who started to dismantle the contract.

gloria hernandez She just dropped the salary per hour. They also say no more medical insurance. So it was big change when the Elardi family took over the hotel.

jennifer medina

And that’s about the time Elodia comes to town.

elodia muniz I moved to Las Vegas in 1989 from El Paso, Texas. I started working at the Frontier, basically housekeeping job. Yeah. And I hear, I hear from my co-workers they used to be a union, the casino used to be a union. And all the benefits they have about the vacations, because at that time, we don’t have no vacations anymore. And we don’t have, um, holidays pay neither. She — Margaret Elardi take away everything. So we just decided to organize to see what is the next step we have to do to fight.

jennifer medina

They both begin to organize with their co-workers. And then —

elodia muniz We just came, all our co-workers — jennifer medina Here. elodia muniz In the Culinary Union. Yes. And we just voted. archived recording The vote is: 464 strike, seven noes. [CHEERING] gloria hernandez We decided to go on a strike. Oh, I still feel goosebumps about it. archived recording 1 Good evening. Picket signs are going up in front of the Frontier Hotel. archived recording 2 Culinary workers are walking out on Frontier owner Margaret Elardi at 6 o’clock in the morning. gloria hernandez So everybody’s working. So at the time that we just going to say, OK, the strike is going to start at 6 o’clock in the morning. Everybody just leave whatever they was doing. If they’re preparing a drink, the bartender or cocktails, they leave everything over there and they come out. archived recording (crowd) (CHANTING) Union! Union! Union! gloria hernandez You can see all the workers, the energy, the feeling. archived recording (crowd) (CHANTING) Union! Union! Union! Union! gloria hernandez We started union, union, union! And we was ready for that. archived recording 1 (SHOUTING) We need a union! archived recording 2 (IN SPANISH) This union feels tight, united, feels the warmth of the working day because it makes us stronger. archived recording 3 (SHOUTING) You have 550 people with families, with children, fighting for their health insurance!

jennifer medina

Workers began picketing outside the Frontier 24 hours a day.

archived recording The people on these picket lines today, they say either Elardi comes up with a decent contract, or this picket line becomes a permanent fixture on the strip. gloria hernandez When we come out over there and you make your decision, you don’t know how long it’s going to be. archived recording (crowd) Vegas needs a union now! gloria hernandez Imagine every single day we feel that when it’s going to be ending.

jennifer medina

The strike goes on for a year, then two.

gloria hernandez Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, all those time. archived recording (crowd) (CHANTING) One day! Longer! One day!

jennifer medina

Then three.

archived recording (SHOUTING) What we are is union! What we are is family! We are brothers and sisters! Middle-class Americans, fighting! Fighting to make sure that this country is better during these four long years of this god forsaken strike because —

jennifer medina

Four years, five years, and it’s not ending. And then one day they get word.

gloria hernandez Now the union organizers, they call us — we’re going to have a meeting at the union hall. All the strikers. archived recording You know that when it comes to a labor issue, if you read it in The Las Vegas Sun, it’s more than likely true.

jennifer medina

At the meeting, one of the leaders holds up the front page of a local newspaper. And the headline reads “Frontier Sold.”

archived recording [CHEERING] gloria hernandez The hotel was sold. And the person who buy the property is decided to unionize. archived recording (CHANTING) Union, union, union, union, union, union! gloria hernandez And give it everything what we’ve fighting for. archived recording What we’ve been waiting for — the Culinary Union announced just a short time ago that the Frontier strike is finally reaching an end.

jennifer medina

The strike ended after six years, four months and 10 days. It was one of the longest strikes in American history. So much time went by that 107 children were born to strikers.

elodia muniz Many of my co-workers, you know, they pass away during those years when we were fighting for that.

jennifer medina

And 17 strikers died.

elodia muniz Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I’m sorry. gloria hernandez It was a big message for this city. And I believe honestly, if I had to go in a strike again for these benefits and for these rights, I do with my eyes closed. jennifer medina If somebody were to ask you what’s the most important benefit — I can guess your answer already. But first, what is the most important benefit? I don’t want to assume. gloria hernandez Yes. The most important for me, honestly, is medical insurance. My husband used to pay $200 every paycheck for medical insurance. So $400 a month.

jennifer medina

The centerpiece of membership in the union, which this strike helped pave the way for, is their health care plan.

elodia muniz I have a heart surgery. clare toeniskoetter Heart surgery? elodia muniz Mm-hmm. I was eight days in intensive care. And I paid $0. clare toeniskoetter The whole procedure, all the different doctors, you paid $0? elodia muniz Mm-mmm. It’s like Cadillac insurance for us.

jennifer medina

To be a housekeeper or a bartender, or really anyone with this kind of coverage, is really remarkable. There’s usually no copay. There’s usually no out-of-pocket expenses. It costs its members virtually nothing except for union dues.

jennifer medina I want to go to the caucasus, to the politics for a minute, if I can. When the candidates came through here, who did you each see? Which candidates did you hear speak? elodia muniz Amy. And also Peter.

jennifer medina

So all of the presidential candidates come on a sort of pilgrimage here, seeking both the support of the members and the endorsement from the leadership.

elodia muniz Our union is very powerful, you know? They know how powerful our union is.

jennifer medina

So today, Elodia and Gloria are both union organizers. And as part of the union leadership, they are particularly invested in protecting the health care that they fought for.

clare toeniskoetter Elodia, can you tell me about your shirt? elodia muniz Oh, we vote, we win. We vote, we win. Well, if everybody stand up and do the right thing, we’re going to have the victory, right? We’re going to win. clare toeniskoetter So it’s about the power of the union of everybody — elodia muniz Yes, basically what it is. Yeah. clare toeniskoetter Do you think you’ll have that victory in this caucus? elodia muniz Well, yeah, we — why not? clare toeniskoetter Well, what will victory look like? elodia muniz To protect our insurance. That’s what we’re looking for. That’s the main thing for us, you know? So we just have to protect it.

jennifer medina

And this year is really the first year that leading presidential candidates have plans that would effectively eliminate it.

archived recording (bernie sanders) And one other thing that we are going to do, is we’re going to tell the wealthiest people in this country that they’re going to start to have to pay their fair share of taxes. That’s some of what we’re going to do. [APPLAUSE]

jennifer medina

A couple of months ago, Bernie Sanders came to the union hall to speak with the members.

archived recording We have a former Frontier striker, Elodia. Elodia, you want to ask a question. jennifer medina Elodia, when — tell me about the town hall with Senator Sanders. I was here for it, but — archived recording (elodia muniz) My name is Elodia. I am a Frontier striker. elodia muniz Well, yeah, I ask him about the medical insurance. archived recording (elodia muniz) We went to strike to protect our health care. We love our Culinary health care. We want to keep it. I don’t want to change it. Why I should change it? elodia muniz I asking him because for me, the insurance means a lot. I mean, for all of members, including me. archived recording (crowd) [APPLAUSE] (CHANTING) 226, 226, 226, 226! archived recording (bernie sanders) Let me just say this. Thank you. We have in this country a dysfunctional, broken and cruel health care system, right? Now, let me deal with the issue that’s on your mind. Because we spend so much for health care, your employer is spending a lot on your health care. Under “Medicare for All,” because we end the profiteering of the insurance companies and the drug companies that made $100 billion last year, we save many, many hundreds of billions of dollars. That means — excuse me — that means that your employer will not have to pay $15,000 a year for your health care. Your employer will pay $3,000. That’s a $12,000 differential. You know who gets that $12,000? You get that $12,000. [CHEERING] So in other words — jennifer medina He said something like if there’s Medicare for all, you’ll have more money in your paycheck. elodia muniz Yeah. This is just um, um promises and hope. We’d like to keep what we have — what is real, what is true, not what we don’t know. It’s like a wish. We, we need to hear that he wants to protect our insurance, that he wants to listen to us.

[music]

jennifer medina

In the weeks leading up to Saturday’s caucuses, the tension between Bernie Sanders and the union leadership has really escalated. Last week, the union began sending emails and texts to its members and began circulating these flyers, which compared candidates on three issues: Immigration, jobs and health care. On immigration and jobs, all the candidates were effectively the same. They would strengthen collective bargaining. They would protect DACA. They would create a pathway to citizenship. But on health care, they were presented as something very different. The more moderate candidates would quote, “protect culinary health care.” Elizabeth Warren would eventually replace it. And Bernie Sanders, they said, would quote, “end it.”

archived recording Late this morning, the Sanders campaign put out a response to the flier. It reads in part, “The senator has stood for workers his whole career. And his Medicare for All plan is crafted for the working class and union members.”

jennifer medina

And then —

archived recording The union yesterday said it received vicious attacks by Sanders’s supporters, including hostile phone calls and tweets. The union released a statement saying —

jennifer medina

People who claimed to be Bernie Sanders’s supporters launched online attacks at the leaders of the Culinary Union.

archived recording (bernie sanders) Obviously, that is not acceptable to me. And I don’t know who these so-called supporters are. We’re living in a strange world on the internet. And sometimes people attack people in somebody else’s name. But let me be very clear. Anybody making personal attacks against anybody else in my name is not part of our movement.

jennifer medina

So there’s this air of ill will between Sanders and the union. And it’s in this atmosphere, actually while we’re on our way to Vegas, that the union announces a press conference about its endorsement.

archived recording (geoconda argüello-kline) [APPLAUSE] Good morning, everybody. archived recording (crowd) Good morning. archived recording (geoconda argüello-kline) Welcome. Welcome to the Culinary Union. I know we want to talk about the endorsement. But before we do that —

jennifer medina

So they come out and say, yes. Health care is the big issue.

archived recording (geoconda argüello-kline) Every human being deserve to have a good health care. We believe in that. But we believe in choices too. We believe in that.

jennifer medina

But instead of endorsing a candidate —

archived recording (geoconda argüello-kline) And the official announcement is we’re going to endorse our goals, what we’re doing.

jennifer medina

— they endorsed their goals and their values.

archived recording (geoconda argüello-kline) We respect every single political candidate right now. We know Vice President Biden for many years. We know he’s been our friend.

jennifer medina

Presumably because they’re worried about throwing their weight behind the wrong moderate. But by endorsing health care as a goal, they effectively have made an anti-endorsement of anyone who threatens to take away that health care. And it’s a pretty remarkable thing that they’re anti-endorsing Sanders. Sanders is really popular among Latinos. He is seen as extremely pro-union for his entire career. And he’s received endorsements from other unions in the state. But for this union — the Culinary Union — all that other stuff might be less important than the message they’re hearing, which is that a vote for Sanders is a vote to eliminate the very thing they’ve worked so hard to create. So with all this, we’re curious to see how members are reacting.

speaker 1 Are you all here to vote? Are you hear to vote? Yes?

jennifer medina

So we’re back at the Culinary Union Hall where early voting has started.

jennifer medina Do you mind if we ask you really quickly who you’re voting for? jeanette hill Do I have to tell you? jennifer medina You don’t have to do anything.

jennifer medina

And because Nevada has a caucus, it’s a little bit different.

jeanette hill Uh, my candidates are Joe Biden, Tom and Amy.

jennifer medina

Instead of picking one person, people rank their preferences.

jeanette hill Those are my three candidates. jennifer medina And why are they your three candidates? jeanette hill Now, Joe Biden’s been with us ever since day one. And Amy, she even support the, uh, union as well. And Tom Sawyer helps about you can keep your insurance. So — jennifer medina And is the health insurance issue for you the most important issue? jeanette hill Of course. We get the best insurance in America. It take care of me and my family.

jennifer medina

As we’re walking around —

speaker 1 (IN SPANISH) Do you have the paper from the union?

jennifer medina

— we noticed that a lot of people are holding these pieces of paper.

austin mitchell So what are you holding? It’s a, this is a paper — speaker 2 For the union. austin mitchell — the union gave out. speaker 2 Yeah.

jennifer medina

And we realized that it’s the same flier that had been texted and emailed and passed around in break rooms all over the strip.

speaker 2 I need to see, I see the paper right there.

jennifer medina

The union scorecard.

austin mitchell Yeah. So on the paper, you’ve highlighted Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer. Yeah. And Bernie Sanders you wrote “no” underneath. speaker 2 Oh, okay. I put a no. OK. austin mitchell Yeah, why? speaker 2 I don’t know [INAUDIBLE].

jennifer medina

So it’s clear that many people are voting with the union in mind. And their health care. So then there’s this sort of fascinating encounter we have.

jennifer medina I see you’re wearing a Bernie pin. So is it correct to assume that that’s who you voted for? speaker 3 Well, no. I was voting for insurance on uh, on a couple of candidates who were going to keep our insurance stuff going. jennifer medina So who did you vote for? speaker 3 Uh, Joe Buyer, Amy something and the other lady. jennifer medina So why are you wearing a Bernie pin if you voted for somebody else? speaker 3 Because I’m a Bernie Sanders supporter. jennifer medina But you didn’t vote for him. speaker 3 No. But that was something totally different. But I do, I did come in with a Bernie Sanders pin. jennifer medina I’m sorry. Can you explain that to me, what it means to be a supporter but not vote for him? speaker 3 Well, the vote — this wasn’t, we weren’t voting for presidents on this one. We were voting for, what do you call it, for our insurance. To keep our insurance going on. jennifer medina You were voting for who should be the presidential nominee. speaker 3 No. That’s not what I was voting for. jennifer medina What were you told? speaker 3 I don’t want to do this anymore. OK, thank you.

jennifer medina

So this guy has clearly gotten the message this is about health care, so much so that he takes it literally, and thinks that he’s voting on his health care, not choosing a presidential candidate. In which case he would have voted for Bernie Sanders.

jennifer medina Just curious to ask you about who you voted for. jean charles Bernie Sanders all the way. jennifer medina All the way. Why?

jennifer medina

Now we do meet Union members who chose Sanders.

jean charles Well I like Bernie Sanders so much because he’s never changed.

jennifer medina

Interestingly, many of these people we speak with say that they haven’t gotten the message from the Union telling them that a vote for Sanders would take away their health care.

laura My first candidate is Bernie. jennifer medina Bernie. laura Bernie.

jennifer medina

Others have and they don’t care, or they like him for other reasons.

laura Well, one of the biggest things to me is that Bernie is planning to give the free school for kids. My son is in college —

jennifer medina

Health care is just not their top issue.

austin mitchell Hi. I’m reporting with The New York Times. Can I ask who you voted for? emigdio Uh, number one, Bernie. austin mitchell Bernie. emigdio Bernie Sanders. Yeah.

jennifer medina

So at some point, Clare and I see Austin talking to this guy, who looks to be in his 60s. And it turns out he’s been in the Union for 29 years.

interposing voices Emigdio, Emigdio! (SPEAKING SPANISH) Fácil.

jennifer medina

Emigdio works at a casino called the Golden Nugget.

emigdio A utility porter is clean carpets, polish the marble, working in the high place. jennifer medina So I’m sure Austin already asked you this, but who did you vote for? emigdio [LAUGHING] Yeah, we answer already, yeah. austin mitchell Bernie. emigdio Yeah, Bernie. Yeah. We love Bernie. jennifer medina You love him. emigdio Yeah. austin mitchell Is there any — so we know that Bernie is talking Medicare for All and replacing — emigdio No, no. I think it’s a better system. It’s for all, not for a few people. It’s for all people. Yeah. austin mitchell Are you worried at all about your great medical care being changed? speaker Yeah, it’s OK. It’s OK, because you know the minority people get access. A lot of people don’t have access now. It costs money. jennifer medina If we want to follow up tomorrow, are you working? emigdio I’m off tomorrow.

jennifer medina

So we say goodbye to Emigdio.

emigdio Well, pleasure to meet you. Mucho gusto. interposing voices Emigdio, Emigdio! [SPEAKING ITALIAN]

jennifer medina

And we notice that this woman, who had been sort of standing around hovering as we were talking with him, follows him to his car.

jennifer medina So they are listening to everything. austin mitchell So yeah, explain when you say they are listening, what do you mean? jennifer medina So somebody from the union is here kind of monitoring. And there’s lots of press here, so it’s kind of easy to understand why. But they’re kind of listening to the conversations. And then they follow — after the conversations have ended, seem to be following up with them, I presume asking what they’ve said. Yeah. austin mitchell I don’t know with this, I’m not hearing the left. Oh, that’s why. clare toeniskoetter Oh, no. jennifer medina I mean, he might just not answer. clare toeniskoetter He might be working.

jennifer medina

A couple of days later, we call Emigdio back, wanting to understand what had

phone ringing emigdio Hello? jennifer medina Hi, Emigdio. This is Jenny Medina, the reporter you met from The New York Times. How are you? emigdio Good, good. How you doing? jennifer medina Good, good. Thank you. Are you working? emigdio Uh no, I’m out now. jennifer medina OK. Emigdio, do you have a couple minutes? I just wanted to follow up — emigdio (SPEAKING SPANISH) Ahh, sabes que pasa? jennifer medina (SPEAKING SPANISH) No, no sabe que pasa. And as soon as we start talking to Emigdio, he seems to be questioning what he told us about his support for Sanders. emigdio I think we are confused about, you know, that this candidate is —

jennifer medina

He feels confused, he says.

emigdio The most important voting for the president is Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, sí? But I don’t follow nobody now, sí?

jennifer medina

He sounds different than he did when we first met him, when he was so clear about his enthusiasm for Sanders.

jennifer medina Can you tell me what happened after you spoke with us? Somebody came over to talk with you. What happened?

jennifer medina

And so I asked him about the woman who followed him to his car.

emigdio Well, you know what? It’s a little confused for me, you know? I don’t know. I don’t know what had happened with that representative from the union. Remember that last Saturday, the skinny lady? And they, and she said hey, do you want to get an interview with the press or TV? Don’t do that by yourself, sí? Yeah. It’s the first time one person talked to me like that, sí? Because I know my rights, sí?

jennifer medina

He sounds, on the one hand, kind of indignant.

jennifer medina What do you think your rights are? emigdio I live in a freedom country, sí? If I get interview, I do by myself. I don’t care about, you know, somebody tell me that. Sí?

jennifer medina

He knows his rights. He knows he has the freedom to speak to us.

jennifer medina You have a right to speak to anybody you want.

jennifer medina

But clearly what happened had some kind of an impact on him.

jennifer medina Can you tell me what the woman from the union said to you on Saturday? Did she mention Joe Biden? emigdio No. jennifer medina Did she mention Bernie? emigdio No. jennifer medina Then why did — emigdio No, maybe she did! jennifer medina She did. emigdio Maybe she did when, when we talk about Bernie Sanders. I think so, yeah. jennifer medina What did she say about Bernie Sanders? emigdio She don’t mention, she don’t mention nobody. Only she say, if you get interview with the press or TV, you have to go with one representative with you guys.

jennifer medina

He’s unclear on exactly what the woman said, except for he should not talk with us without a union representative present.

jennifer medina OK, OK. Emigdio. [SPEAKING SPANISH] emigdio [SPEAKING SPANISH] jennifer medina and emigdio (INTERPOSING VOICES IN SPANISH): Thank you for patience. Thank you for calling. Goodbye.

jennifer medina

Emigdio is not the only person who has told me that the union has discouraged them from speaking with the press. And I’m finding this pretty confusing. Is the union trying to stop members from saying that they’re supporting Sanders? And if so, why? Are they trying to create this narrative where there’s overwhelming disdain for Medicare for All? I don’t know.

[music]

And on Tuesday night, The head of the Culinary Union, Geoconda Argüello-Kline, agrees to talk with us. So we go back to the Union Hall where there’s this big event going on. There is music and there’s tacos. It’s a town hall with Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. So we sit down with Geoconda after the event. The communications director of the union, Bethany Kahn, is also there.

jennifer medina So Geo, you’re the leader of the Culinary Union here in Las Vegas. geoconda argüello-kline Yes. jennifer medina So I want to ask you about something we’ve seen in the last couple — happen over the last few days. So we spoke, for example, with one member on Saturday who had voted for Senator Sanders. And he was really enthusiastic — geoconda argüello-kline Yeah. jennifer medina — very excited to vote for him. But then the next day, we called him to ask him some follow-up questions, and he seemed to have really changed his heart. And he said that he was told by a Union representative that he should not voice his political preferences to the press — to us. Do union representatives have instructions to steer people away from speaking to the press? bethany khan Yeah, so we make sure that workers know their rights and that they know that you might follow up with them, right? And so we just let them know this was a reporter — jennifer medina And at this point, Bethany, the communications director, jumps in. bethany khan That’s pretty much it. We don’t tell them anything, right? We’re not telling — we haven’t endorsed. It’s mostly about making sure that they know their rights and protecting them on the work. We’ve talked about this, Jenny, before. I think you’ve accused me blatantly. And I think that’s not acceptable. jennifer medina What’s not acceptable? bethany khan We represent the workers. And my job is to protect them even after you’re gone. jennifer medina I understand that. So let me tell you what one person told us. He spoke with us. bethany khan OK. Who, who? jennifer medina I’m not going to tell you his name. bethany khan Yeah, yeah. jennifer medina One person that we spoke to said that after he spoke with us, he was told that he should not speak to the press without a union representative present. Is that the policy of the union? geoconda argüello-kline Jenny, you make an accusation. jennifer medina I’m not making an accusation, Geo. I’m asking a question. geoconda argüello-kline Jenny, really, I don’t know. Because if we’re talking to the press, we’re not going to say, oh, you need to have a union representative. jennifer medina So I am asking. Is it the policy of the union — and I want to make sure I’m asking you both. bethany khan Yeah. jennifer medina Is it the policy of the union to tell members that they cannot speak to the press without a union representative present? geoconda argüello-kline We don’t have policy to say don’t talk to the press and like that, with the, with the Union rep in there. jennifer medina So why would this person be told not to speak to us without a representative present? geoconda argüello-kline Tell you the truth, I don’t know. I really don’t know. jennifer medina Would you discourage somebody, a member from — who supports Sanders — from speaking to the press? geoconda argüello-kline That’s their business, not mine. What I putting to you is the facts. What is the health care for you, and what is protecting your health care and what is not protecting your health care. You decide. Where we are upset is the way we be treated. I can show the texts my daughter sent me last night. Look. Look. Read this. This is from my daughter. Look. This is from Sena — from the follower of Senator Sanders. jennifer medina I can’t — I honestly can’t see. Can you read it? geoconda argüello-kline OK, yeah. ”[EXPLETIVE] you off.” You know, you can read it better than me. Over here. Look at what did they say. jennifer medina ”[EXPLETIVE] off, Geoconda. If Sanders loses and we don’t get Medicare for All, and a Union worker gets cancer and gets fired and he or she dies, their blood will be on Geoconda Argüello-Kline, who for selfish reasons decided to spread these lies.”

jennifer medina

This is a text that Geoconda’s daughter sent her of some tweets, about Geoconda specifically, that Sanders supporters wrote after the union released its scorecard.

geoconda argüello-kline You think that that’s right for a mother to see this, 9 p.m. after work all day? I’m very upset. And I’m going to keep in talking. Nobody going to quiet me. Nobody. Because this is what they doing to minorities. This is what they are doing to womans of colors. jennifer medina Who’s they? When you say they. geoconda argüello-kline The Bernie supporters. They used to bully people. And nobody has stand them. jennifer medina But, Geo, there’s also Bernie supporters who are women of color. geoconda argüello-kline But listen. But they attack these women of colors too. And you know why they attacking us, Jenny? Because we put the facts. I’m not going to be quiet. They not going to put a tape in my mouth. They will not. Because, you know, I believe in democracy. I do. I’ve been 40 years in this country. 30 years I’ve been fighting for the working family have better life. 30 years. And right now, after 40 years, they tell me [EXPLETIVE] off, leave this country? That’s right? No. If any woman of color don’t support what we’re saying, sorry for them. But I’m going to fighting for the people who are a womans of color and they go through harassment. jennifer medina I want to ask you one other thing though. There are women of color who are supporting Bernie Sanders. What would you say to those women? geoconda argüello-kline I will say, look, you know what? If you had divisions in womans of color who are being harassing, do you really fight for a real movement? Do you really fight for the real movement? jennifer medina Movement. geoconda argüello-kline Yeah. That’s my question. That’s the only question. jennifer medina Thank you. geoconda argüello-kline Thank you. jennifer medina I appreciate it very much for your patience and for talking with us. geoconda argüello-kline Thank you. jennifer medina Someone’s backpack? austin mitchell It’s mine. Thanks.

jennifer medina

So this is not at all what I had been expecting. I went there wondering why the union might be trying to keep its members from talking about their votes, if those votes went against the recommendation of the leadership. But it had turned into this complicated, messy thing, where it’s hard to know if Geoconda is upset about my questions, or about the messages she’s receiving from Sanders supporters, who are furious at what they see as the union’s effort to stop Sanders from winning the Nevada. Or about the threat that she thinks Sanders poses to this health care plan that she and others work so hard to get. And it’s just kind of feeling upside down. If you had described to me a working-class Latina woman active in a union, and then asked me who I thought that person would vote for in this election, knowing nothing else, I would’ve told you that that person would probably vote for Bernie Sanders. But the reality is, that same woman fought for years to get this health care plan that has become vital to the union’s existence. And of course, this is just one union in one state. But it’s also the embodiment of the central question of a Sanders candidacy. If you have something that you like or that’s working well enough, are you willing to give it up on the belief that there’s something even better out there?

jennifer medina Are you part of the union? laura Yes. jennifer medina Part of the Culinary Union. laura The Culinary Union. jennifer medina And did you follow the fight —

jennifer medina

But there are also many people I’ve spoken to who are ready to give it up.

jennifer medina And are you happy with the medical care that you get through them? laura I’m happy with that, but of course, if we have another option to get something the same or almost the same, why not? And if it’s going to be for everyone, I think that’s the best thing we can have. Yeah. jennifer medina And are you worried at all about losing the Culinary plan, which is what the leadership — laura No, I’m not. jennifer medina Why not? laura Because I think if this plan that they’re proposing is good, why we want to be afraid, right? You keep your job, and you keep working, and you do what you supposed to do. I think there’s nothing to worry about it, you know?

jennifer medina

These are people who say that the health care coverage they have should be available to everyone. That Medicare for All would mean that their friends and families have care like that too. They’re not so worried about losing something. They’re more focused on helping others gain something. And that’s a value they say they learned from the union.

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michael barbaro