Culinary Union Secures Major Deals with Two Prominent Las Vegas Strip Resorts

Las Vegas hospitality workers just secured a significant victory. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 have finalized groundbreaking contracts with Resorts World Las Vegas and The Cosmopolitan. These three-year deals, covering nearly 4,500 workers, are hailed by union leaders as some of the most pivotal agreements in the union’s 90-year history. The negotiations culminated in what the union describes as record-breaking pay increases and enhanced job protections, aligning these resorts with other unionized establishments on the Las Vegas Strip. All these contracts are set to conclude in September 2028.

The Cosmopolitan’s contract marks the first under MGM Resorts International’s ownership, encompassing approximately 2,500 non-gaming employees. This new agreement emphasizes daily room cleaning, reduced workload quotas for housekeeping staff, and enhanced health and safety protocols at work. Union officials underlined that these contracts uphold crucial standards and address technological and job security concerns. The deal now ensures training, continuous healthcare, and privacy rights for workers who may be impacted by future automation or tracking systems. Additionally, it provides workers with the ability to negotiate over changes related to technology, reflecting the union’s commitment to safeguarding their members’ interests in an evolving job landscape. More to come…

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Ted Pappageorge, the union’s secretary-treasurer, emphasized that these agreements reaffirm Las Vegas as a place where hospitality workers can achieve a living wage and maintain stable careers. He highlighted that these successes stemmed from persistent grassroots organizing and collective action, underscoring that unions now represent all properties on the Las Vegas Strip. Workers affected by the new terms expressed their satisfaction, citing increased pay, improved working conditions, and enhanced safety measures as substantial benefits. Room cleaners, laundry workers, and bellhops noted that the contracts will provide them with more financial security and a higher degree of job satisfaction, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Simultaneously, Harry Reid International Airport achieved a separate five-year agreement covering over 1,100 food and beverage staff, while negotiations continue for an additional 400 fast-food workers at the airport. Pending approval votes, the Culinary Union remains dedicated to advocating for similar protections for employees at other non-union locations. These recent accomplishments are part of a broader campaign to uphold high job standards in Nevada’s hotel and tourism sector, reinforcing the Culinary Union’s influence as a major advocate for workers’ rights in the state. The continued success of these initiatives underscores the union’s pivotal role in maintaining and elev