Hundreds of hotel workers strike at casinos near Las Vegas Strip | Wilnesh News

Hundreds of hotel workers at nearby casino las vegas strip The strike took place before dawn on Friday after a long and well-publicized fight for a new contract.

The strike at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas marked the first unrestricted strike in 22 years by the Culinary Workers Union, Nevada’s largest union with about 60,000 members.

union Posted on social platform X Friday morning: “The @VirginHotelsLV casino is on strike! Virgin Hotels employees at Virgin Las Vegas are on strike for a fair contract! Stand with employees and don’t cross the strike line!”

The union said in a news release that “24/7 picket lines” will be set up around the hotel during the strike, urging customers to cancel reservations or check out and choose union accommodation.

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, said in a news release that the company’s proposal would have expected wages of $0.30 per year over five years, after benefits.

“Virgin Las Vegas’ proposal is miles apart and is an insult to every worker – which is why the commission voted unanimously to refuse to accept a second-class contract,” Papachi said. “Virgin Las Vegas workers deserve a first-class contract with fair wage increases, and they are organized and ready to strike for it.”

Casino staff also 48 hours off work As talks escalated earlier this year, Hope put pressure on Virgin Hotels to agree a new five-year deal with increased wages and improved benefits.

Butlers, cocktail and food servers, porters and waiters were among the pickets Friday outside the hotel-casino, formerly the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

Just a year ago, casinos up and down the Las Vegas Strip narrowly avoided tens of thousands of hotel workers Take a walk after get off work The city is set to Hosts the first Formula 1 race On the famous boulevard. But a deal was reached just before the union strike deadline give to workers The salary increase during the contract period is approximately 32%, including a 10% salary increase in the first year.

after Breakout trades from last Novemberculinary alliance A similar agreement was soon reached Virgin Hotels are excluded for other members at major hotel-casinos on the Strip, downtown and off the Strip. The contract on the Las Vegas Strip alone covers more than 40,000 workers.

Union spokesperson Bethany Khan said Virgin Hotels was “the last holdout”. The contracts of about 700 of the union’s employees expired in June.

The union said Virgin Hotels did not want to give staff pay rises during the first three years of the new five-year deal.

“We deserve more than a zero wage increase,” casino porter Merla Paramo said in a statement provided by the union.

Virgin Hotels said in a statement on Thursday it had agreed to a partial wage increase until the fourth year of the new deal, but the union rejected the proposal. Virgin Hotels did not provide specific details of its proposal.

“Our dedication to the well-being of our team members and achieving sustainable performance at our properties remains unwavering, and we are fully committed to finding a fair solution that is in their best interests,” the statement read.

Although Friday’s strike was much smaller than last year’s planned strike On the Las Vegas Strip, disruption is still possible due to the location of the Virgin Hotels. The 1,500-room hotel is adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip and is on the public route from the city’s international airport to the tourist corridor.

The hotel-casino is located on an easily identifiable site where an 80-foot-tall (24-meter) neon guitar sign has stood for decades. It was demolished in 2017 after Hard Rock closed.

Culinary union members last went on strike in 2002 during a 10-day strike at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas.