Over 35,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas are on the verge of staging a massive strike if negotiations with the city’s major casino corporations do not yield an agreement by 10 November at 5 am PST.
The Culinary Workers Union, which represents employees at 18 resorts owned by MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts, has officially declared the impending strike.
Stalemate in casino labour negotiations
These dedicated workers, including room attendants, bartenders, and restaurant staff, have been toiling without a contract since their previous agreements expired on September 15th. They have been diligently trying to renegotiate their contracts ever since. The potential strike could cripple several of the city’s most prominent casinos and resorts, including renowned venues like Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay, and the Bellagio.
The labor unions involved have urged the public to support the workers by avoiding the resorts and casinos where staff intend to strike. Negotiations between the unions and the casino companies have been ongoing since April but have hit a standstill in recent weeks. The Culinary Workers Union Local 266 and the Bartenders Union Local 165, which together represent 53,000 workers in 39 hotels and casinos, are striving for a five-year contract that includes historic wage increases, reduced workload quotas, protections against workplace violence, and guarantees of job security in the face of increasing automation.
What’s at stake and how it affects visitors
The Culinary Workers Union, which represents employees at 18 resorts owned by MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts, has officially declared the impending strike.
Stalemate in casino labour negotiations
These dedicated workers, including room attendants, bartenders, and restaurant staff, have been toiling without a contract since their previous agreements expired on September 15th. They have been diligently trying to renegotiate their contracts ever since. The potential strike could cripple several of the city’s most prominent casinos and resorts, including renowned venues like Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay, and the Bellagio.
The labor unions involved have urged the public to support the workers by avoiding the resorts and casinos where staff intend to strike. Negotiations between the unions and the casino companies have been ongoing since April but have hit a standstill in recent weeks. The Culinary Workers Union Local 266 and the Bartenders Union Local 165, which together represent 53,000 workers in 39 hotels and casinos, are striving for a five-year contract that includes historic wage increases, reduced workload quotas, protections against workplace violence, and guarantees of job security in the face of increasing automation.
What’s at stake and how it affects visitors
Visitors planning to be in Las Vegas during the potential strike should prepare for ‘significant difficulties’ in receiving the same level of service at the affected hotels and casinos, according to Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer, Ted Pappageorge. The union intends to keep the dialogue open until November 10th, after which the workers will strike until a mutually acceptable deal is reached. As of now, Wynn Resorts has remained silent on the impending strike deadline, while representatives for MGM and Caesars have not responded to requests for comment.
As tens of thousands of hotel workers have drawn a line in the sand, wotj 10 November set as a deadline, this dispute could result in shockwaves for the city’s hospitality industry.
As negotiations with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts reach an impasse, the looming strike casts a shadow over the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. This industrial action mirrors a broader wave of unrest across the nation, reflecting the power of workers in demanding better conditions and fair treatment.
These dedicated employees, ready to strike if necessary, are determined to redefine the future of Las Vegas’ iconic service industry.
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