For Immediate Release
June 5, 2013
Yvanna Cancela
702-524-8384
Contracts on Strip and Downtown Expired
Workers and Management to be affected
Las Vegas, NV – On June 1, 2013, union contracts covering over 40,000 hospitality workers at major casinos on the Strip and Downtown expired. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 which represent the employees, sent standard extension agreements to all companies, but have only received signed agreements from some.
This is the first time in recent union history that employers have not agreed to an extension during negotiations. The last company to not agree to such an extension was the Frontier Casino. Eventually, the contract dispute resulted in a six year, four month, and ten day strike.
When asked to describe how current negotiations compared to previous ones, Mike Tirabassi, a food server at Treasure Island said, “In past negotiations, we worked together with the companies to come up with fair agreements. As we come out of the tough economic times, I want to keep moving forward instead of moving backwards.”
As of today, ten casinos have not signed contract extensions with the unions. They are the Tropicana, Riviera, Treasure Island, Four Seasons, El Cortez, Main Street Station, Fremont, Binion’s, Plaza, and Las Vegas Club.*
Maria Mares, a housekeeper at the Riviera, said, “When I began to really understand the union and where my benefits come from, that’s when I decided to get involved. When you understand that someone else fought for what you have, you know you have to stand up. It’s my first negotiation with the union. I’m concerned about my company not signing an extension, but I’m confident we will all stand up together and win a fair contract.”
Workers will be holding a demonstration on the Strip on June 14.
The Culinary Workers Union is one of the largest and fastest-growing union locals in the country. The vast majority of the union’s 55,000 members work at casinos on the world famous Las Vegas Strip and in the city’s downtown. They also work in food service outlets at McCarran International Airport and industrial laundries throughout the Las Vegas valley. Members of the Culinary Union work in a range of jobs, including cocktails, bell, kitchen workers, cooks, food servers, housekeepers, porters, and many more.
Culinary 226 members continue to fight for quality and affordable health care, a secure retirement, owning a home and sending their kids to college. The Union remains strong with a growing membership and thousands of active union members.
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