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HONORING GEOCONDA ARGUELLO-KLINE AS SHE RETIRES
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HON. STEVEN HORSFORD
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Friday, February 18, 2022
Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Geoconda Arguello-
Kline, as she retires from the Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Mrs. Arguello-Kline leaves a positive impact on the lives of thousands of workers in Nevada.
Mrs. Arguello-Kline's story begins in Managua, Nicaragua, where she was born and raised. In 1979, Mrs. Arguello-Kline was admitted to the United States as a political refugee. Since 1983, she calls Nevada her home. Picketing, negotiating, and asking for safe working conditions were some of the reasons Mrs. Arguello-Kline was relentless to give up the battle against the big corporations. As a guestroom attendant in 1989, Mrs. Arguello-Kline stood outside of the Fitzgerald's Hotel (now The D Hotel & Casino) picketing daily for 6 months. That was only the beginning of many more similar scenarios to help workers stand up for their rights and benefits.
In 1990, Mrs. Arguello-Kline joined the Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Mrs. Arguello-Kline went from being an organizer in the 1990s, then director of campaigns, trainer, and many other responsibilities, until becoming the union's Secretary-Treasurer. Over the years, Mrs. Arguello-Kline's call to action remained the same and the voices only grew. An 18,000-membership expanded to 60,000 members under her leadership. The casino industry, at that point, had to hear them out. The culinary workers were not alone. Bartenders and housekeepers also demanded dignity in the workplace, medical benefits, retirement security and more.
One of the many successes Mrs. Arguello-Kline led early on was the longest walkout in the history of the U.S. labor movement: the Frontier strike in 1991, where the Culinary Workers' pension fund was in jeopardy. After more than six years of picketing, their pension fund was restored.
Mrs. Arguello-Kline has been a tremendous leader and a champion for workers in Nevada. We often saw her in the red t-shirt reminding folks of the power of each worker and the right to stand up for better working conditions. She retires after 32 years devoted to the Culinary Union and close to 40 years as a member. She is a hero in the labor community. I wish Geoconda Arguello-Kline a great retirement. We honor her arduous work and contributions to the Silver State.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 33
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