Thousands of hospitality workers in Las Vegas are facing a potential strike on Feb. 2, as contract negotiations with several resorts on the Strip and downtown remain unresolved. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and its affiliated Bartenders Union Local 165 have set a deadline for any property that has not reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract.
The union’s demands
The unions represent about 7,400 workers at 20 properties, including nine on the Strip and 11 downtown. They are seeking 32 percent salary increases, workload reductions for guest room attendants, daily hotel room cleanings, increased safety protections for workers on the job, and language covering the expanding use of technology and artificial intelligence and how workers can be retrained or receive financial benefits if their jobs are replaced.
These demands are similar to those agreed upon by the “big three” Strip companies — MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Las Vegas — in November 2023, after months of negotiations. The contracts with these companies cover about 36,000 workers at 18 resorts.
The impact of a strike
The strike date coincides with the nine-month anniversary of when the previous agreements expired. It would also take place on the weekend before Las Vegas begins to host festivities surrounding Super Bowl LVIII, one of the busiest times of the year for the city’s tourism industry.
A strike could have a significant impact on the operations and revenues of the affected properties, as well as the overall image and reputation of Las Vegas as a destination. The last time the unions went on strike was in 1984, when about 15,000 workers walked off the job for 67 days, costing the city an estimated $75 million.
The unions have said they are ready to strike if necessary, and have been holding informational picket lines and rallies to raise awareness and pressure the employers. The unions have also received support from other labor groups, political leaders, and celebrities.
The status of the negotiations
As of Jan. 19, 2024, only one property — the non-gaming Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, part of the CityCenter complex — has reached a tentative agreement with the unions since the strike deadline was announced on Jan. 8. The agreement covers about 300 workers and is subject to ratification by the members.
The remaining properties without contracts on the Strip are Circus Circus and Treasure Island (owned by Phil Ruffin); STRAT (Golden Entertainment); Rio Casino Resort (Dreamscape Cos.); Sahara (Alex Meruelo); Westgate (Westgate Resorts); non-gaming timeshare Hilton Grand Vacations (Hilton Corp.) and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (JCH Hospitality).
Downtown casinos without contracts are Circa, D Las Vegas and Golden Gate (owned by Derek Stevens); Main Street Station and Fremont (Boyd Gaming); Binion’s and Four Queens (TLC Casino Enterprises); Golden Nugget (Tilman Fertitta); Plaza (Tamares Group); El Cortez (Exber Inc.) and downtown Grand (CIM Group and Fifth Street Gaming).
The unions and the employers have been meeting regularly to try to reach a resolution, but no major breakthroughs have been reported so far. The unions have said they are willing to continue bargaining until the last minute, but they are also prepared to walk out if no deal is reached by Feb. 2.
