Undecided on the Vegas Strip
Without key endorsements, these union workers are going their own way as the Nevada caucus looms
When Ana Barrientos walked into the headquarters of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Nevada Local 1107, located just off the Las Vegas Strip, she’d already had a long day. It was 5 p.m; an hour earlier, she had a meeting at the Culinary Workers headquarters a few blocks away; before that, she was in traffic, coming from her job taking care of elderly and disabled clients as a home health care aide. For Barrientos, who is in her 20s and currently pregnant, the work is rewarding but takes a heavy toll, mentally and physically. She works a standard 40 hours, but the low wage of $11.20 an hour makes it difficult to make ends meet. Four years ago, Barrientos was looking for a more financially stable future — which is what led her to join SEIU. She arrived at the office full of smiles, her brown eyes attentive as she sat down across from me.
Our interview was the final stop on her day’s journey. Afterward, Barrientos will get back in her car for the 10-minute drive to the home she shares with her husband. She won’t log on to Twitter or turn on the TV to catch up on the latest political discourse — she’s mostly excited about being able to sit down after a day on her feet. Barrientos is aware that Nevada’s…
