In preparation to face off against Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford released his “Workers First Agenda,” which outlines his economic development plan to address affordability concerns across the Silver State, if elected as governor come November.
In his wide-ranging plan, Ford pledges to support unions, prepare the next generation for the workforce, lower costs for Nevadans by halting NV Energy’s new demand charge, limit corporations from buying homes, crack down on AI price-gouging practices, cancel medical debt for low-income Nevadans, and cap the cost of many prescription drugs.
Much of what Ford outlines are priority bills led by Democratic lawmakers that Lombardo vetoed during the 2025 legislative session.
Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, told The Nevadan that high prices, coupled with reduced hours and lay offs across the state, is hurting the workforce.
“Any economic plan is better than Lombardo’s economic plan. And what we really need is someone [who] will stand up to Trump,” Pappageorge said in an interview. “These dumb tariffs, these dumb wars, and this dumb anti-tourism agenda coming out of Republicans, and Lombardo is not fighting for us.”
With prices soaring across the nation, Nevada has seen some of the highest increases in the country. Last year, the state ranked fourth for how much households spend on groceries. Silver State residents spend an average of nearly $10,400 annually on goods.
In addition to high grocery prices, Nevadans pay the highest rates for car insurance. On average, drivers pay $355 monthly—meaning residents pay almost 61% higher than the national average.
Gas prices have also increased, with Nevada ranking fourth, again, for the highest gas prices in the country in March, according to Triple A Fuel Prices.
Despite these high prices and workers’ advocacy for better conditions, Lombardo’s actions have ranged from quiet to working in outright opposition to working people. Across the board, three separate unions—Teamsters, Academic Workers of Nevada (AWN-UAW), and the Culinary Workers Union—told The Nevadan Lombardo has either chosen not to engage with workers or made it clear that he does not want to advocate for the workforce that keeps the Silver State running.
In Ford’s economic plan, he specifically has a section carved out for unions—a move that’s energized workers across the state.
A focus on the younger generation
Graduate assistants at Nevada’s two major universities, UNR and UNLV, and the Desert Research Institute (DRI) began union efforts in 2020, according to Ted Johnson, a graduate assistant at UNLV.
Despite the majority of students supporting the union with efforts ramping up in 2024, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has refused to recognize them as a bargaining committee. In the past, NSHE has said they will not recognize the student union until the Legislature does.
Graduate assistants, represented by AWN-UAW, have made two unsuccessful attempts during the 2023 and 2025 legislative sessions.
Johnson told The Nevadan their bill was “essentially killed by Gov. Lombardo” in 2025.
In an email obtained by The Nevadan, Lombardo’s Chief of Staff Ryan Cherry told graduate assistants, “To be clear and up front – Gov. Lombardo does not support the legislation that would authorize the formation of a bargaining unit for Graduate Associates (GAs) within the NSHE system.”
The student union was left in limbo after NSHE refused to recognize AWN-UAW as a bargaining committee until there was legislative action, despite Lombardo also refusing to sign the bill into law.
“We realized we were going to have to make changes at the state level in order to really get our bill through and to make our collective bargaining rights more easily [achievable],” Johnson said in an interview.
Johnson added that because their efforts stalled in the 2023 and 2025 legislative sessions, a major priority for the union became the governor’s race.
Ford reached out to the AWN-UAW, which prompted the graduate assistants to hold forums at UNLV and UNR for students to learn and engage with the candidate.
They asked Ford questions, and after the forum, Johnson said Ford supported their cause and told the students he would sign their bill into law. This led the union to endorse Ford for governor.
Ford specifically mentions supporting the graduate assistants’ right to organize and collectively bargain in his economic development plan, noting they contribute to “Nevada’s academic excellence and university research status by conducting innovative research, securing research funding, and educating thousands of undergraduates in the NSHE system.”
Throughout Ford’s time on the campaign trail, he’s mentioned supporting the workers time and time again, saying many have to sell their plasma in order to make ends meet. Graduate assistants can be paid anywhere from $850 to about $3,100 in monthly stipends, depending on how many hours they work.
The only time Lombardo has reached out, Johnson said, was when Cherry told the union Lombardo did not support their bill in 2025.
“As academic workers, we contribute a lot in Nevada,” said Victoria Peechatt, a graduate assistant at UNR. “It’s cool to see us in there, and I’m really excited for this election and seeing [Ford] as governor.”
Additional union sentiments
In similar sentiment to graduate students across the Silver State, Pappageorge told The Nevadan Lombardo has “made it clear” he’s running against the Culinary Workers Union—and they’ve also had no communication with Lombardo.
“What we care about is that our folks are getting laid off and having their hours reduced,” Pappageorge said. “We have a governor that will not stand up to these anti-worker policies coming from the White House.”
In Ford’s plan, he highlights ridding the state of the right-to-work law, a move the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is in support of.
The right-to-work law prohibits unions and employers from charging employees union membership fees, with those employees still protected under union benefits, which critics of these laws say weaken union resources and collective bargaining power.
Pappageorge said the right-to-work law “holds down wages and benefits.”
Continuing the trend, Lombardo and Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony (R) did not respond to the Teamsters’ request to meet, the union’s state political director told The Nevadan.
At a press conference, Teamsters Nevada Political Director Ross Kinson emphasized the union will endorse any candidate from either party. But when Teamsters reached out to candidates for interviews, Lombardo and Anthony did not participate because they did not respond to the union’s request.
“At the end of the day, Lombardo is a Trump cheerleader and it is really harming our economy and our members are suffering,” Pappageorge said. “We certainly need somebody who will stand up to Trump and fight to bring back our tourism, reduce unemployment, and reduce costs.”
