Culinary Union Sets Strike Deadline for 7,700 Workers in Las Vegas

After months of intense negotiations, unionized gaming and hospitality industry workers in Las Vegas secured new five-year contracts with three of the leading casino and entertainment operators, known as Big 3. The announcement comes after extensive efforts of the Culinary and Bartenders Unions which played an important role in the negotiation with Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, ensuring better working conditions, including increased pay for some 40,000 unionized workers.

But after this major win, achieved in the final months of last year, other workers, part of independent properties, are asking for better conditions as negotiations with nearly two dozen Las Vegas casinos continue. Those negotiations affect an estimate of 7,700 hospitality workers in Sin City, represented by the Culinary and Bartenders Unions. The contracts of those workers expired back on June 1, 2023.

Now, the unions set a strike deadline for February 2, 2024, at 5 AM. Unless negotiations are settled by that time, the workers are ready to go on strike. United under the One Job Should be Enough initiative, the hospitality and gaming workers seek better working conditions across 21 independent properties located on the Las Vegas Strip and in downtown Las Vegas.

“If negotiations breakdown ahead of the strike deadline, the Culinary and Bartenders Unions’ worker negotiating committee may call for strike sooner at individual properties,“

reads a statement released by the Culinary Union

Unions Advocate for Fair Contracts, Job Security and Wage Increases

Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union’s secretary-treasurer, spoke about the incredible success achieved last year after negotiations with the three biggest operators in Las Vegas. Yet, he said that talks with the 21 independent casino properties that employ 7,700 workers are ongoing. Pappageorge spoke about the importance of securing fair contracts for those workers.

As noted, negotiations continue for a number of properties across Sin City, including Trump Hotel Las Vegas, Circus Circus, Sahara Las Vegas, Rio, Golden Gate, Circa, Downtown Grand and Golden Nugget, among others. It is important to mention that some of those properties may be subject to a strike by the Culinary and Bartenders Union for the first time.

“It’s time for 7,700 workers employed at 21 properties to get a fair contract and have security for themselves and their families.“

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union

In the words of Pappageorge, casino and hospitality workers at independent downtown and Strip casinos deserve the same job security, work benefits and wage increase as the ones negotiated with the major gaming operators. He admitted that nobody wants to go on a strike, but the Culinary union will support the workers if they have to go on strike. Last but not least, Pappageorge spoke about the union’s upcoming 89th anniversary, highlighting its continuous support for workers within the hospitality and casino industry.