Culinary Union members plan to walk off their jobs at 5 a.m. Friday at the Las Vegas Strip hotel-casinos which have not yet agreed to a new contract.
The Virgin Las Vegas, pictured above. The Las Vegas property is among three which could see a strike by hospitality workers on Friday. (Image: Eater Las Vegas)
These properties include the Rio, Sahara, and Virgin Las Vegas.
But the union on Wednesday pushed forward its strike deadline until Monday for the 10 properties in downtown Las Vegas still without an acceptable offer.
The downtown properties include: Binion’s, Circa, Downtown Grand, El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Main Street, and The D Casino.
In total, some 2,600 hospitality workers currently are working without a contract. They are seeking a five-year agreement.
Early Wednesday, the union announced it had reached its latest tentative contract — with the Plaza. The five-year deal would cover about 250 workers, if approved by rank and file members.
Negotiations Continue
One of the 13 properties still without an agreement, the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, said in a statement this week that it is, “committed to bargaining in good-faith and working diligently with the Culinary Union.”
We take great pride in creating a quintessential Las Vegas experience for our teammates and patrons alike and aim to have a new contract finalized as soon as possible so everyone can return to the fun.”
There have been settlements between the union and several Las Vegas properties over recent months.
“We’ve been working hard since last year to win historic contracts, but we aren’t done yet,” Ted Pappageorge, the union’s secretary-treasurer, said in a statement this week.
Workers at the other Strip independents and downtown deserve the same wage increases, benefit protections, safety and technology language, and reductions in workloads as the rest of the Las Vegas Strip and they are organized and ready to fight for it.”
Details on recent settlements were not released to the public.
Last year, union members at MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts received a 10% wage increase in the first year of the agreement. They also got a total of 32% in salary increases over the life of the contract. The agreements with the three companies also gave workers a reduced workload, daily room cleaning, and increased safety and job security.
The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and the Bartenders Union Local 165, have about 60K members. Some will be picketing at Las Vegas properties starting on Friday.
They include bartenders, bellmen, cocktail and food servers, cooks, guest room attendants, laundry and kitchen workers, and porters.
Super Bowl Interference?
The threatened strike is scheduled to occur just days before the Super Bowl. The game will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11.
Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada bus drivers and mechanics have also threatened to go out on strike, which could impact bus service in the days leading up to and on the Super Bowl.
Many events are scheduled in Las Vegas during the week before the game. Events will kick off with Super Bowl Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on Monday.
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