The Culinary Union announced that 99% of Wynn Resorts workers have voted “yes” to approve a new contract in Las Vegas. This news comes after seven months of negotiations, with all three contract votes proving successful.
The sanction is in response to what would have been the US’ largest hospitality worker strike ever recorded.
The union commented: “The settled contracts for 40,000 unionised hospitality workers are the “best contract[s] ever won in nearly nine decades.”
The total compensation awarded to employees at Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment casino properties, over the total five-year contract, equates to approximately $2bn.
Mary Check, a cashier at Caesars Entertainment’s Paris Casino said: “My co-workers and I stood together to win a historic union contract and we did it! This contract fight was about our families in Las Vegas, our future, and making sure that one job is really enough.”
In response to the ratification, each employee will benefit from a 10% wage increase in the first year of work. This will equate to a total of 32% in pay increases over the life of their new contract.
Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union, Ted Pappageorge stated: “We recognise the largest private employers in Nevada for doing the right thing and investing in the frontline workers who make the entire industry run successfully.”
Some of the wins negotiated by the union included reducing workload, winning the largest wage increases and providing the best on-the-job safety protections.
