Potential Strike by Las Vegas Hospitality Workers Could Affect Iconic Resorts and Casinos

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Hospitality workers in Las Vegas are on the brink of potentially becoming the latest significant labor union in the United States to initiate a strike. A vote was cast on Tuesday by tens of thousands of union members to decide if a walkout should be authorized, a move that could have considerable repercussions for some of the city’s most famed hotels and casinos.

The Culinary Workers Union, a dominant political entity in Nevada, has not engaged in a strike for over 30 years. The outcomes of the recent voting are slated to be disclosed on Tuesday evening.

While the union has not yet established a deadline for initiating the strike, negotiations are ongoing for improved remuneration, enhanced benefits, and better working conditions with premier employers along the Las Vegas Strip, including MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts.

A potential walkout could cause interruptions in operations across more than three dozen resorts situated both on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas, which serve as the economic cornerstone of the city.

“We serve as the foundational elements that hold these hotels together, and we should be appropriately compensated,” said Deanna Virgil, a veteran employee at Wynn Las Vegas, after participating in Tuesday’s vote.

Virgil is among 53,000 individuals—including housekeepers, servers, porters, cooks, and bartenders—who were eligible to vote. The voting occurred amid a surge of labor mobilization across various industries, ranging from work stoppages to outright strikes. The voting day coincided with President Joe Biden standing with United Auto Workers who were striking in Michigan.

MGM Resorts announced that they would release a statement concerning the vote after the results are made public. Caesars Entertainment did not respond immediately to requests for comment, while Wynn Resorts opted not to comment.

Deanna Virgil, who has 38 years of experience in the hospitality industry, noted that she manages to get by on her current income and benefits, primarily because she resides with her adult daughter. “Without my daughter’s support, my situation would be significantly different,” she noted. “Many of us have multiple jobs when one should suffice.”

Bethany Khan, the union’s spokesperson, stated that all union members are currently provided with health insurance and earn approximately $26 per hour, including benefits. Although Khan did not disclose the exact amount the union is demanding in terms of pay increases, she did indicate that they are negotiating for “unprecedented wage hikes” in the union’s history.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume next week between the union and major employers like MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts.

This year has seen a nationwide resurgence in labor union activities, from walkouts in various industries to newly negotiated agreements aimed at averting work stoppages that would otherwise disrupt supply chains. In this broader context, the Culinary Union in Nevada, which represents around 60,000 hospitality workers, is witnessing the expiration of contracts covering 40,000 members in Las Vegas alone.

The recent vote was exclusive to workers in Las Vegas and encompassed employees at iconic properties such as the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Wynn Las Vegas, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, Circus Circus, Treasure Island, and the Strat.

A historical perspective reveals that in 1991, more than 500 workers at the now-defunct Frontier hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas went on what became one of the longest strikes in U.S. history, lasting over six years. The union has noted that all striking workers were reinstated with back pay and benefits.

The union had previously voted to authorize a strike in 2018. Soon after, five-year contracts were agreed upon when a majority of the 25,000 participating hospitality workers voted in favor of a walkout. Rory Kuykendall, a bellperson at Flamingo Las Vegas, expressed optimism that the recent vote will yield similar outcomes. “The high turnout is a strong indicator of our collective willingness to take a stand,” he said.

Last summer, landmark contracts were negotiated by the casino workers’ union in Atlantic City, which not only granted workers their largest-ever pay raises but also nullified the possibility of a strike for several years. This development is considered significant for the revival of Atlantic City’s casino industry to pre-pandemic operational levels.

In previous agreements, the focus of the Atlantic City union had been on maintaining healthcare and pension benefits. However, this time they aimed for “significant” wage increases to help workers cope with rising living expenses, including the costs of gasoline, food, and rent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Las Vegas Culinary Workers Union Strike

More about Las Vegas Culinary Workers Union Strike

• Culinary Workers Union Official Website
• MGM Resorts International Corporate News
• Caesars Entertainment Corporate Press Releases
• Wynn Resorts Media Center
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Union Membership
• Historical Strikes in the United States
• Atlantic City Casino Workers’ Union Achievements
• Current Labor Trends in the United States
• Las Vegas Economic Impact Studies
• Nevada Labor Laws and Regulations