Summary:
- A new five-year bargaining agreement is in the works.
- A strike will occur at the month’s end if no deal is made.
- The unions have been in talks since April with Caesars Entertainment, MGM, and Wynn Resorts.
Since April, the Culinary Workers Local 226 and the Bartenders Local 165 have been negotiating with casinos for a new contract deal.
Months have gone by with no resolution, so employees are ready to take matters into their own hands. Right now, if a deal is not made by the end of the month, both unions are ready to strike.
Taking Action to Get Results
In a statement yesterday, both unions said that multiple rounds of negotiations had gotten them nowhere. A new five-year contract needs to be signed, and so far, casinos are not budging, nor are the employees. It’s up to MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment to cut deals to avoid a strike. The unions consist of 53,000 employees.
Ted Pappageorge, the Culinary Secretary-Treasurer, stated that it is disappointing that the negotiations are still so far apart after all these months. Companies are generating record earnings, and the workers are not to be left behind. They deserve a share of the success.
A strike vote will occur on September 26 at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV if a new contract is not signed. A majority vote is needed for the strike to come to fruition, and it is unclear if everyone will be on board.
A Walkout May Be Imminent
If most workers vote for a strike, the negotiating committees of the union will call for everyone to walk out. The union has yet to set a deadline for the strike and plans to continue negotiating with the casinos.
In 2018, a strike was authorized across Las Vegas, but a new agreement was eventually reached. The casinos seem to work harder to develop a fair plan once they see their employees are planning on walking out.
The last huge strike involving the culinary union occurred in the 1980s. A total of 17,000 workers left the job after contracts were not signed with 32 different casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. The strike lasted nine months, and six casinos left the union.
We shall see in the coming weeks if the big Strip resorts decide to sign a contract deal. In most cases, the unions are asking for higher wages to accommodate the cost of living and to share the large profits earned by the operators. The union members seem ready to act to ensure they are treated fairly with a new contract agreement.
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