MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, the two largest casino operators in Las Vegas, have both reached tentative agreements with the local hotel workers union to prevent a major strike. The Culinary Workers Union, which represents over 30,000 hospitality employees on the Las Vegas Strip, had threatened to walk out if negotiations failed.
The new five-year contracts are said to include significant pay raises, safety improvements, and other benefits for the workers. According to the union’s secretary-treasurer and chief negotiator, Ted Pappageorge, these contracts represent the best economic package in the union’s 88-year history. The agreements also address issues such as housekeeping workload reductions, improved safety, and job security in response to technological advancements.
The union has been in negotiations with MGM Resorts, Caesars, and Wynn Resorts since April. A total of 40 combined hours of negotiations took place this week before deals were reached with MGM Resorts and Caesars. The agreements cover workers at several major properties on the Strip.
The impact of a potential strike by tens of thousands of workers would have been substantial, especially given the upcoming debut of the Las Vegas Grand Prix next week. The event is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city. However, with the tentative agreements in place, the threat of a strike has been averted.
The contracts are pending approval by the union’s members, with a vote expected to take place within the next two weeks. The terms of the agreements will be made public after they are approved by the workers.
Overall, the agreements represent a significant victory for the workers and ensure labor peace on the Las Vegas Strip for the foreseeable future. The region’s casino industry, which has been hard-hit by the pandemic, can now move forward with events and operations with a sense of stability and certainty.