Will 53,000 Las Vegas Culinary Workers Strike
Culinary Workers Could Strike In Las Vegas.
Formula One, National Finals Rodeo, CES, The Super Bowl are all coming to Las Vegas. Just a few of the huge events that will fill hotel rooms in Vegas. But there could be a big glitch.
Las Vegas hospitality workers are set to vote Sept. 26 on whether to strike if no contract agreements are reached. The vote will be held at Thomas and Mack Center.
According to the Review Journal, more than 53,000 hospitality workers, from the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas properties will vote. If a majority of those vote yes, the Culinary and the associated Bartenders Local 165 will call for a strike.
The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 includes hotel and casino housekeepers, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellhops, cooks and more.
Early Negotiations Have Been A Flop
Contracts expired June 1. The unions have had negotiation meetings with top Las Vegas hotel owners from MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts. Thus far, those negotiations have fallen flat.
Workers are working under a contract extension. They will have to give seven days notice if they feel a strike is needed from the podcast on Review Journal’s website.
What Employees Want
Employees say the companies they are working for are making record profits. But they feel they are being forgotten about, and deserve fair pay.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary union, said in a statement. “As companies reduce labor, there are less workers who have even more responsibilities and are doing more work instead of spending quality time with their families, and that has to change.”
Pappageorge went on to say, “Workers have built this industry and made it successful and that’s why we are demanding that workers share in that prosperity. It’s disappointing that we are still so far apart from the casinos after months of negotiations with the largest three gaming companies in Las Vegas.”
A strike was avoided last time around, in 2018. An agreement was reached before any walk-out, or striking took place.
Hospitality workers in Las Vegas are the backbone of a flourishing gaming economy. Fingers crossed that all parties can reach an agreement, before a picket line is needed.
