All Big Strip Casinos in Las Vegas Are Now Unionized

With a membership of 60,000 people, most of which based in Las Vegas, for the first time in its 90-year history, the Culinary Union has successfully unionized every major casino on the Las Vegas Strip. 

All Major Strip Casinos Are Unionized

This achievement on the Strip stands out nationally, where union membership continues to decline. Amid a slower tourism season this summer, the union contracts have offered workers greater stability. In June, visitor numbers dropped 11% compared to the same time last year, and hotel occupancy on the Strip fell from 88% to 82%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Interestingly, a lot of that tourist slump derives from the significant drop in Canadian tourists to the US this year.

The union’s reach extends well beyond the casino floor. Known for its ability to mobilize thousands of members for door-to-door canvassing and voter outreach, its endorsements carry significant weight, especially among Democrats. Said endorsements often serve as a strong indicator of which candidates are most likely to win support from working-class voters.

Following the workers’ approval of the deal, Patrick Nichols, president and CEO of the Venetian, one of the biggest casinos on the Strip, expressed optimism about the outcome. He stated that the collaboration had demonstrated how change can be a positive force and voiced confidence that the partnership would continue to benefit all parties in the years ahead.

There’s Still Some Opposition

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at curbing collective bargaining rights for certain federal employees, prompting union leaders to file lawsuits against the administration. Currently, Nevada and over two dozen other states have adopted “right to work” laws, allowing employees to choose not to join unions or pay dues. Republican lawmakers have also pushed for reforms to the National Labor Relations Board and other regulatory agencies, aiming to roll back what they consider excessive regulations on businesses.

According to Ruben Garcia, a professor and director of the workplace program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas law school, the Culinary Union’s strength lies in its longstanding presence in Las Vegas. In addition, its adaptability to the casino industry’s rapid growth and corporatization, and its experience managing complex relationships with casino owners and operators, has also played a huge role in the large unionization we are seeing now.

Garcia noted that the consolidation of casinos along the Las Vegas Strip is comparable to the dominance once held by the Big Three automakers in Detroit. Today, a handful of major corporations such as MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts control the majority of casinos on Las Vegas Boulevard. This could make things more difficult for workers, Garcia said, but it also gives unions a big, singular target.

With the conclusion of the unionization, there is a record 32% wage increase throughout the five-year agreement that the union made with casinos. By the end of the contract term, unionized casino workers are expected to earn an average of $35 per hour, including benefits.