LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Culinary Union has set a strike deadline for thousands of hospitality workers for Nov. 10 at 5 a.m. if no agreement is reached with Strip hotel operators.
The announcement was made at noon on Thursday, and the strike is expected to involve 35,000 hospitality workers at MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas.
BREAKING: Culinary Union sets strike deadline: Nov. 10 at 5 a.m. @KTNV
— Bryan Horwath (@bryanhorwath) November 2, 2023
"Economically, the companies have made some movement, but we're millions of dollars apart," Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union.
Currently, union leaders say no additional negotiations are scheduled with those three casino-resort operators.
On Tuesday, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg told reporters during a quarterly earnings conference call that he was "optimistic" that a deal will be worked out soon. Reeg said he's been personally involved in the negotiations.
Thousands of Culinary Union members are still without contracts following the most recent round of bargaining sessions with major resort companies.
Daniel Busby, a cook at a restaurant inside the Paris Las Vegas resort, says he and other Culinary Union members simply want to share in the wealth that Strip casino companies have been raking in.
"The companies are making record-breaking profits with fewer workers," Busby says. "It's really important for us to have a better future for our families. Our families deserve health care. I'm willing to strike if necessary."
Channel 13's Joe Moeller recently spoke with Culinary Workers Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge about ongoing negotiations.
"I am happy to say we have made some progress, more than we have made in a while, unfortunately not enough," said Pappageorge.
BREAKING: Culinary Union set STRIKE deadline Friday, November 10 @ 5:00am for 35,000 @MGMResortsIntl, @CaesarsEnt, & @WynnLasVegas hospitality workers in Las Vegas. Strike would be largest hospitality worker strike in U.S. history. Strike prep underway.#OneJobShouldBeEnough pic.twitter.com/5MJwkXFwrR
— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) November 2, 2023
95% of members of the Culinary and Bartenders Unions voted to authorize a city-wide strike in late September. Thousands would pack the Thomas and Mack Center at UNLV to cast their ballots.
Current provisions for employee wages, benefits, and job security protections will still remain in effect, thanks to a previous collective bargaining agreement. However, the no-strike provision has since expired, prompting leadership to set the deadline today.
