Las Vegas Hotel Strike Avoided

The largest hotel groups in Las Vegas have signed new workers contracts to avoid a looming strike. The parties struck a deal just days before the start of the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix. A strike would have come at the worst possible time, as the city prepares for hundreds of thousands of fans to arrive.

Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, representing tens of thousands of hospitality workers, have reached tentative deals with MGM, Caesars, and Wynn.

Early this morning, a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract was signed with Wynn, impacting around 5,000 workers.

Caesars Entertainment was the first to reach a deal on Wednesday. The tentative five-year deal for 10,000 Caesars employees includes wage increases in the first year and funds for healthcare and pensions.

Yesterday, MGM signed a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract covering around 25,400 workers across eight MGM properties. The deal includes the largest wage increases ever negotiated by these unions. It also includes workload reductions for guest room attendants and increased safety protections for workers. “After seven months of negotiations, we are proud to say that this is the best contract and economic package we have ever won in our 88-year history,” says Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for Culinary Workers Union Local 226. 

In October, Las Vegas hospitality workers affiliated with the unions had voted to authorize a citywide strike. A full strike would have impacted 22 MGM, Caesars and Wynn properties on The Las Vegas Strip.