Vegas Casino Workers Close to First Strike in Four Decades

Article by : Erik Gibbs Sep 29, 2023

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Members of the Culinary and Bartender unions have resoundingly voted to authorize their negotiating committees to call for a strike involving approximately 53,000 non-gaming casino employees on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown.

Around 20,000 workers, voting in two separate sessions at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center, almost unanimously supported the first citywide strike against the resort industry in 39 years.

According to the Culinary’s X (formerly Twitter) account, 95% of participating members approved the strike authorization. This largely symbolic move allows labour leadership to call for a strike even as they claim to be negotiating with management in good faith.

While a strike date has not been set, the action could disrupt operations on the Strip and downtown.

Analysts anticipate a deal, likely involving double-digit wage increases over a five-year contract period, to be reached before the Formula One race in mid-November.

However, union leaders are less optimistic about a swift resolution. Workers are concerned about wages, rising living costs, and increased workloads, especially post-pandemic. The last citywide strike in Las Vegas occurred in 1984.

Workers like Francisco Rufino, who works at a Las Vegas casino café, are increasingly concerned about the potential threat to their jobs, particularly in roles such as bartenders, which automation could eventually replace.

The recent MGM Resorts cyberattack highlighted the vulnerability of relying solely on technology, as it necessitated human intervention to handle tasks like guest check-ins and check-outs.

Rufino believes that while technology is inevitable, companies should not disregard their workers and should not exclusively rely on automation.

Instead, he suggests a balance where companies invest in technology while providing training and opportunities for employees to adapt to new roles or operate the technology.

Although contracts between the properties and unions officially expired in May, the union had previously negotiated contract extensions with most Strip properties, with any agreed-upon wage increases expected to be retroactive.

However, these extensions with MGM, Caesars and Wynn recently concluded, lifting no-strike provisions and allowing workers to strike potentially.

In addition to wage and benefit enhancements, the union advocates for contract changes that bolster job security, reduce workloads, protect against technology-related challenges, enhance safety measures, and increase reemployment opportunities.

Specific details about the proposed wage increases on both sides remain undisclosed.