Summary:
- The union employees want a new five-year contract.
- Sahara, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and Rio Casino Resort are on the strike list.
- The strike date was moved from February 2 to encourage talks.
A strike is imminent in Las Vegas if casino owners do not reach a new five-year contract soon. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and the Bartenders Union Local 165 have extended their plan to strike from February 2 to February 5. The plan will take motion if the unions do not see a tentative agreement reached for a new five-year plan.
The New Deadline
The February 5 deadline will affect three resorts on the Strip. The Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Sahara, and the Rio Casino Resort will all see hundreds of unionized employees walk out. Currently, there are more than a dozen properties without a new contract.
The new strike deadline will see unions running informational picket lines at all 13 venues for 36 hours. The picket lines will begin on Friday and continue through Saturday. Once a strike is called, the picket lines will be active, and visitors will be asked not to enter the casino venues.
The new strike date comes around three months after Caesars, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Las Vegas were able to sign new contracts. The deals included a 32% salary increase for employees. There were workload reductions for room attendants, and daily hotel room cleanings were reinstated.
More safety precautions are now offered on the job, and employees will be retrained or given financial help if their job is replaced. The smaller casinos would like to see similar items in their new contract negotiations.
Plaza Signs Recent Contract Agreement
The last contract agreement to be signed by a casino downtown was the Plaza Hotel and Casino. The venue reached an agreement that covered 250 workers. The announcement was made earlier this week. The casino and employees made a decision during the overnight negotiating session.
Now, more effort is being made to complete deals in the downtown area. The Plaza was the first to sign a new agreement in the region, and the focus is also on settling with other venues. Of course, each venue or owner must work out an agreement that will meet the casino’s and the employees’ needs.
It can be difficult to reach an agreement, which is why negotiations can take months, and the threat of a strike may be needed. It will be interesting to see if an agreement will be made over the weekend for the three casinos facing a strike or if it will take a walkout to see results.
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