Thousands of casino resorts workers in Las Vegas are planning to go on strike in February a week before the Super Bowl takes place if they are unable to agree to a new contract.
The Culinary and Bartenders Unions – Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 – are representing 7,700 casino workers in Downtown Las Vegas and along the Vegas Strip in these negotiations, setting a strike deadline of February 2 at 5am Pacific time for a new deal to be agreed upon.
The unions have added that the negotiating committee could call for a strike sooner at individual properties if negotiations were to break down. In total, 21 casino resorts across the city are in negotiations.
Potential locations on the Strip where strikes could occur include Circus Circus, Hilton Grand Vacations, Rio, Sahara Las Vegas, Strat, Treasure Island, Trump Hotel Las Vegas, Virgin Hotels, Waldorf Astoria and Westgate.
In Downtown Las Vegas, possible strike venues include Binion’s, Circa, Downtown Grand, El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Main Street, The D Casino and Plaza.
The union’s upcoming negotiating schedule is as follows:
- January 9 – Hilton Grand Vacations and Strat
- January 10 – Circus Circus
- January 11 – Sahara
- January 12 – The D, Circa, Golden Gate, Treasure Island and Waldorf
- January 16 – Westgate
- January 17 – Trump Hotel Las Vegas
- January 18 – Grand Sierra Resort (Reno)
Last year in November, ahead of the inaugural F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas, the unions were able to agree to new contracts for close to 35,000 casino workers at MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts locations in Sin City.
At the time, union members voted 95 per cent in favour of striking, but leadership was able to successfully negotiate new contracts with the casino operators before such strikes took place.
“We’ve been working hard since last year to win historic contracts with the big three and several independent casinos, but we aren’t done yet,” commented Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union.
“It’s time for 7,700 workers employed at 21 properties to get a fair contract and have security for themselves and their families. Corporations are making record profits and workers deserve to have record contracts.
“Workers at the Strip Independents and Downtown deserve the same wage increases, benefit protections, safety and technology language, and reductions in workloads as the rest of the Strip and they are organised and ready to fight for it.
Pappageorge continued: “No one wants to strike, but workers are serious and will strike if they have to and the Culinary Union has their back every step of the way.
“Culinary Union celebrates our 89-year anniversary this year and we know first-hand the organising and militancy it has taken to build Nevada’s middle class and what it will take to ensure working families can thrive.
“Nothing in our nine decades has been easily won and our good jobs weren’t simply handed to us. We made hospitality jobs in Las Vegas family-sustaining jobs with decades of sacrifice and strength, and we will continue to win what we deserve – a great union job with fair wages, job security, and the best health care benefits so that workers can continue to provide for their families.”
