Talks Stall Between Las Vegas Room Attendants and Resorts

According to Reuters, roughly 35,000 Las Vegas hospitality workers without a contract are prepared to strike against MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts on November 10.

CMMOnline first reported the Las Vegas labor tension in mid-October, when room attendants from Culinary Workers Union Local 226 took to the streets for a one-day picket, in an attempt to motivate Las Vegas hotel operators toward a favorable agreement.

Now, after seven months of talks and with no additional negotiations currently scheduled between the union and the three resort operators, the culinary union announced last Thursday that workers were ready to strike if no contract was agreed upon by this Friday.

Union demands include higher wages, stronger protections again job-threatening technology, a reduction in room-cleaning quotas, and improved safety.

Although there’s still no contract, some progress has been made, Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union secretary-treasurer told Reuters. “Economically, the companies have made some movement,” he said, “but we are millions of dollars apart.”

While Reuters had yet to receive comment from the three resorts regarding the pending strike, Thomas Reeg, Caesars Entertainment CEO, told investors via an earnings call, “When we reach an agreement on the contract, it’s going to be the largest increase that our employees have seen in the four decades since we started interacting with the Culinary Union.”