The longest strike in decades by Las Vegas hotel workers ended Wednesday with a new contract between the Culinary and Bartenders Union and Virgin Hotels.
Newsweek contacted both parties on Thursday via email for comment
Why It Matters
Beginning November 15, the strike lasted 69 days after workers maintained they would not settle for a “second-class contract.” The union’s previous contract with Virgin Hotels expired in June 2023, and both camps have been fighting it out ever since, primarily over wage increases in comparison to their colleagues operating in the gambling aspects of the industry. Contracts on the Strip alone cover more than 40,000 workers.
Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP
What To Know
On Wednesday, the Culinary Workers Union announced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that a five-year deal had been secured for approximately 700 employees at Virgin Hotels near the Las Vegas Strip. Employees on the picket line included housekeepers, porters, bellhops and servers.
Their demands included a 32 percent increase in wages over five years, an amount Virgin Hotels initially said wasn’t “economically viable” for the casino’s future. The new agreement reportedly includes substantial pay increases aligning with the union’s recent deals with other Las Vegas properties.
Employee raises—a reported 10 percent in the first year—will be the largest in the union’s 89-year history. Full-time workers can expect to receive $77,000 dollars annually in five years if the complete terms of the union’s demands have been met.
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How The Vegas Strike Unfolded
Those on the picket line have relied on $500 weekly payments from the union, with some seeking additional employment to make ends meet. Although Virgin Hotels is not situated on the Las Vegas Strip, the strike drew significant attention from tourists as union members staged 24-hour picket lines outside the hotel-casino, which is within walking distance of the Strip and located along a common route connecting the main tourist area to the city’s international airport.
Throughout the strike, the union publicly criticized Virgin Hotels for hiring temporary workers who crossed the picket line, a comedian canceled his show in support of the union and the NFL Players Association pledged to boycott the casino while workers were on strike.
At one point during the strike, workers blocked traffic in an act of civil disobedience, leading to multiple arrests. Meanwhile, the University of Southern California football team received criticism for staying at the property while playing in the Las Vegas Bowl in December.
Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP
What People Are Saying
Ted Pappageorge, the union’s secretary-treasurer and lead negotiator told The Nevada Independent that giving Virgin a contract different from agreements the union negotiated with other casino operators would “wreck our standards. No other company will settle a deal if somehow they know that all they have to do is hold out to get a better deal.”
Lee McNamara, a cook who has worked at the Virgin Hotel for more than 25 years, told Clark County commissioners last month they deserved wages akin to their casino colleagues.
“We’re doing the same amount of work for less pay,” McNamara said. “We are literally the lowest-paid union casino as it stands right now.”
What Happens Next
In a joint statement, both parties said they are “pleased to be moving past their contract negotiations as each looks forward to fostering a positive and collaborative working relationship for the benefit of all team members at the property.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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