Las Vegas: Unions Schedule Strike Vote for September 26

Currently, the Culinary Union is the largest labor Union in Nevada. Combined with the Bartenders Union Local 165, the two represent some 60,000 non-gaming workers who hold jobs such as porters, cooks, bellmen, bartenders, cocktail and food servers, laundry and guest room attendants, among other roles.

Over the last months, the Culinary and Bartenders Unions have been leading intense talks with companies from the hospitality and gaming sector, wanting to ensure better conditions for the non-gaming employees they represent. Despite the talks, so far, the Unions haven’t agreed on new five-year contracts. This has now pushed the Unions to organize a Strike Vote that will determine if they will be authorized to go on strike.

The Strike Vote is scheduled for September 26, 2023, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the University of Nevada – Las Vegas (UNLV) campus. The Unions confirmed that tens of thousands of workers are expected to come and vote during two sessions – one in the morning and one in the evening.

Overall, some 53,000 hospitality workers based in Las Vegas are expected to participate in the Strike Vote. With that in mind, the Unions urged the public to avoid the area near Thomas & Mack and the Harry Reid International Airport, considering the influx of workers that are expected to attend the two vote sessions for the Strike Vote on September 26.

Given that a majority of the voters on the two sessions vote yes, the Culinary and Bartenders Unions’ committee in charge of negotiation will be able to authorize a call for a strike. While a strike deadline is yet to be set, the Culinary Union continues its negotiations with gaming operators in hopes of resolving this amicably.

Unions Fight for Fair Wages and Job Benefits

Ted Pappageorge, the Culinary Union’s secretary-treasurer, explained: “We are negotiating for the best contract ever in the Culinary Union’s history to ensure that one job is enough.” He said that while companies enjoy record profits, workers should also be a part of that success and receive fair compensation for their hard work.

“We are fighting to protect our good jobs with fair wages, job security, and great benefits so that workers and their families can thrive.“

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union

Pappageorge confirmed that workers have less time to spend with their families and loved ones, given that companies reduce their workforces which results in more responsibilities and work distributed among fewer workers. “Workers have built this industry and made it successful and that’s why we are demanding that workers share in that prosperity,” he added. Pappageorge said that it is disappointing to see that after months, the negotiations with gaming companies haven’t gained traction.

Most recently, the workers represented by the Unions voted in favor of a strike back in 2018. Despite the authorization for a citywide strike, at the time, walkouts were avoided after the Unions reached new five-year contracts with the hospitality sector.