Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Unable To Find Resolution With Striking Workers

The labor dispute between Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and the Culinary Union has reached a critical juncture after five months of unsuccessful contract negotiations and nearly a year since the previous agreements expired. The union has rejected Virgin’s “last, best, and final” offer, citing it as insufficient to meet workers’ needs.

Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer of the Culinary Union, criticized Virgin’s proposal for being “woefully inadequate,” emphasizing that Las Vegas companies must invest in employees as much as in their properties.

Virgin’s decision to publicly release its offer on Wednesday angered the union, which labeled it a “publicity stunt” rather than a good-faith effort.

Key points of contention include:

• Inadequate wage increases that fall short of union expectations.

• Union demands for a 10% first-year raise and a total 32% increase over the contract duration.

• Virgin’s claim that the requested raises are unaffordable, despite financial backing from Wall Street investors.

The union’s stance and response:

• The Culinary Union insists Virgin should match standards achieved with MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment.

• Citing inequity, Pappageorge argues that if other companies can afford similar terms, Virgin can as well.

• In protest, the union launched its first official strike in over 20 years, resulting in a 48-hour work stoppage.

Virgin’s final offer includes:

• Benefit contributions guaranteed for the first three years.

• $1-an-hour package increases in the last two years (split between wages and benefits).

• Reduced workloads for guest-room attendants and higher gratuity calculations.

Despite these measures, the Culinary Union maintains that Virgin’s proposal remains below citywide labor standards — leaving the conflict unresolved and negotiations at a standstill.