In some good news for Las Vegas, it is looking like the potential strike by the Culinary Union has been averted. The union and its 50 000 members have been threatening to go on strike, which could have crippled Sin City. However, it looks like the union has reached tentative contract agreements with the two biggest casino operators in Vegas, MGM Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment. These two casino giants run 18 of the 34 casinos where the Culinary Union workers worked.
Strike Averted with Caesars & MGM Deals
The Culinary Union reached a deal with Caesars Entertainment on Friday last week. Following this, an agreement was reached with MGM Resorts on Saturday. With these deals in place, it looks as if the potentially devastating strike has been averted. Deals still need to be made with several strip casinos, including the SLS, Tropicana, and Treasure Island. Downtown casinos that still need a contract agreement include The D, Golden Nugget, and the Fremont. The union’s members voted to authorize a strike towards the end of May, should the casinos be unwilling to meet their requests.
With the threat of the strike disappearing, tourists visiting Las Vegas can breathe a sigh of relief. June is expected to be a very busy month, with 80 000 visitors coming to Sin City for conventions this week alone. The Culinary Union does not represent the likes of casino dealers, but rather hospitality personal like bartenders, kitchen staff, housekeeping and so on.
Culinary Union Seeks Several Contract Improvements
The Culinary Union’s members saw their contracts expiring with 34 Las Vegas casino properties at the beginning of June. The union was seeking a 4% increase in pay for the new contracts, as well as measures to protect its members from sexual harassment. They were also seeking worker protection from technological innovations that could see a reduction in the number of jobs, protection of existing benefits, and panic buttons for any staff member who needs to enter a guest’s room.
The exact details of the new contracts haven’t been made public, but it does look like there are definite improvements regarding protection from sexual harassment. With the contracts reached with Caesars and MGM Resorts, work will continue as normal while the final negotiations take place with the outstanding properties.
