Mora, Alber A.

Alber Mora is an immigrant from Cuba who arrived in the United States through Miami, Florida. Mora’s father became persecuted by the Castro government where he worked, when Alber’s older brother was called to mandatory military service though he had a medical exemption. Due to this reason, the mora family decided to leave Cuba in a balsa (raft) risking their lives as many Cubans did to escape the oppression at the time.

Alber describes how no one can speak about the Cuban Government, he did not even know what his father did as an employee. Once in Miami, Alber and his family were taken to an organization of churches that assist asylees and help them get located in a state, they were placed in Houston, Texas.

Since Alber had arrived at the age of 16, he took on studies demanded by the church. He studied English and Computer Programming classes in Texas. Then he move to Los Angeles where he became a baker while seeking a job at a restaurant. Alber learned everything about baking and worked at the famous Porto’s Bakery in Glendale, California. After a few years, he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where his father had previously relocated.

Alber got a job at Caesars Palace. He also joined the Culinary Union, where early on he realized the mission of the Union was to support its members and fight for the workers’ rights. He also pursued his education and enrolled at UNLV where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management and a Master’s in Human Resources.

After a few years of working with the casino, Alber became Union Shop Steward and is in charge of assisting members in providing more information on how the Culinary works and what their contracts mean for the workers, as well as participating on the contracts that are made between the Culinary and the casinos in Las Vegas. Alber learned to love being a baker and found his path by joining as he described it, “one of the strongest Unions in the country.