Culinary Union Threatened Strike Delayed Until Monday

Posted on: February 2, 2024, 10:24h. 

Last updated on: February 3, 2024, 12:15h.

Ed Silverstein Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Friday’s planned walkout by hospitality workers at two Las Vegas Strip properties has been postponed until Monday.

The El Cortez Hotel and Casino
The El Cortez Hotel and Casino, pictured above. The downtown Las Vegas property agreed to a settlement with the Culinary Union on Thursday. (Travel Nevada)

Strike deadlines for the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and the Rio Hotel & Casino were moved from 5 a.m. Friday PT to Monday morning, according to the Culinary Union.

On Thursday, a third Strip property, the Sahara Las Vegas, reached a tentative five-year contract with almost 650 hospitality workers.

The El Cortez Hotel and Casino also reached an agreement with the Culinary Union on Thursday. The casino resort is located in downtown Las Vegas. The five-year contract covers almost 200 hospitality workers at the El Cortez.

Three other downtown Las Vegas properties also agreed to a settlement with the Culinary Union this week. They are Circa Resort & Casino, The D Casino & Hotel, and the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. Each is owned by Derek Stevens.

Another six downtown properties still need to have a contract approved. They include Binion’s Gambling Hall, Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, Four Queens Hotel & Casino, Fremont Hotel & Casino, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, and Main Street Casino.

Negotiations, Picketing Continue

Representatives of the six properties and from the Virgin and the Rio were expected to negotiate with the Culinary Union throughout the weekend in the hope of settling.

Union members will also hold information pickets over the weekend at the resort casinos that still don’t have contracts. Some 3,600 workers at the eight properties still are working without a contract.

There have been settlements between the union and several other Las Vegas properties over recent months.

Continued Strikes

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and the Bartenders Union Local 165 have about 60K members, including bartenders, bellmen, cocktail and food servers, cooks, guest room attendants, laundry and kitchen workers, and porters.

Monday’s threatened Culinary Union strike will occur just days before Super Bowl LVIII, played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11.

Last year, Culinary Union members at MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts received a 10% wage increase in the first year of their new agreement. They also got 32% in salary increases over the contract’s life. The agreements with the three companies also gave workers a reduced workload, daily room cleaning, and increased safety and job security.