The Culinary Workers Union has moved back the strike deadline for 10 casinos in Downtown Las Vegas, changing the date from Friday February 2 to Tuesday February 5. The affected casinos include Circa, Downtown Grand and Four Queens, among others.
The strike comes following action plans initially placed in November, which were avoided by the Big Three casinos (Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment) through various dealings with the union. Other casinos, including the Mirage, Circus Circus, the Four Seasons and the Strat were also successful, with the union claiming victory in their demands for better wages and care for casino culinary staff.
This continuation of planned strike action affects a total of 13 casinos in Vegas, with union members at Rio, Virgin Hotels and Sahara Las Vegas still expected to strike on Friday. The strike will see a total of 2,600 workers protest, with the Culinary Union stating that regardless of whether a physical picket line is placed outside affected casinos or not, customers and the community should not cross.
Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge spoke on the work the Union has been doing since 2023, emphasizing the importance of staff receiving a “fair contract and [having] security for themselves and their families” in a time when profits have been up for several casino operators.
“No one wants to strike, but workers are serious and will strike if they have to and the Culinary Union has their back every step of the way.”
We spoke with Pappageorge in a Huddle interviewearlier this month about the Culinary Union's current strike work.
The union has been in place for almost 90 years and has been a key player in pushing for staff benefits and welfare at Las Vegas Strip and Downtown casinos. The last strike saw the Big 3 pay workers approximately $2bn in compensation, which will be paid out over a five-year contract. This reflects a 10% wage increase for staff in the first year, with average staff wages to increase from $28 per hour to $37 per hour at the end of the contract.
The full list of casinos impacted by the deadline shift can be viewed below.
Source: The Culinary Workers Union
