Over 35,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas are gearing up to strike if negotiations with the city's largest casino companies fail to reach an agreement by November 10th at 5am PST.
The Culinary Workers Union, representing employees at 18 resorts owned by MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts, announced the impending strike.
These workers, including room attendants, bartenders and restaurant staff, have been working without a contract since 15 September - due to their contracts expiring and the workers have been trying to renegotiate their contracts since.
The potential strike could bring several of the city's major casinos and resorts to a standstill, including venues like Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay and the Bellagio.
The Unions have called on the public to support the workers by avoiding the resorts and casinos where staff plan to strike.
Negotiations between the labour unions and the casino companies have been ongoing since April, but they have hit a standstill in recent weeks.
The Culinary Workers Union Local 266 and the Bartenders Union Local 165, representing 53,000 workers in 39 hotels and casinos, are seeking a five-year contract with historic wage increases, reduced workload quotas, protections against workplace violence and guarantees of job security in the face of increased automation.
Visitors to Las Vegas during the strike should prepare for ‘significant difficulties’ in receiving the same level of service at the affected hotels and casinos, according to Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer, Ted Pappageorge.
The Union plans to continue talks through 10 November, after which workers will strike until a deal is reached. So far, Wynn Resorts has not commented on the strike deadline, while representatives for MGM and Caesars have not responded to requests for comment.
