A union for casino-hotel workers says it has reached a tentative agreement with MGM Resorts International, covering nearly half of the 50,000 employees threatening to strike in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
The deal between MGM and the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 was announced by the union in a tweet late Saturday. A tentative accord between the labour union and the other big casino employer threatened by the job action, Caesars Entertainment, was reached Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cBREAKING. We are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with ?MGMResortsIntl ,\u201d read the late-night announcement on Twitter. \u201cThe historic new 5-year contract covers approximately 24,000 workers at 10 casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.\u201d<\/p>\n
Union spokeswoman Bethany Khan confirmed Sunday that the tentative deal had been reached. MGM spokeswoman Mary Hynes deferred to the union for any further comment about the accord.<\/p>\n
Some smaller casino operators have yet to reach agreements with the union and could still face the first citywide strike in more than 30 years.<\/p>\n
The tentative deals with the two big operators came after thousands of bartenders, housekeepers, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks and other kitchen workers saw their contracts expire.<\/p>\n
The union says the main sticking points have been wages, workplace training and job security as casino-hotels turn to technology that can displace workers. Employees want contract language that would protect them if properties are sold and an independent workload study for housekeepers.<\/p>\n
Workers have voted to authorize a strike, but no date has been set. They have started signing up for strike pay, financial assistance and picketing shifts.<\/p>\n
If there is a strike, visitors could witness workers picketing outside casino-hotels still in negotiations.<\/p>\n
Companies have declined to provide details of their contingency plans, but hospitality experts say the properties will remain open, with replacement workers and managers carrying out additional tasks.<\/p>\n
If the contract agreement sticks, a walkout would not affect Caesars’ Las Vegas Strip properties: Bally’s, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Paris, Planet Hollywood, The Cromwell, The Linq and Caesars Palace, including Nobu. The deal also would apply to the off-Strip Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.<\/p>\n
The union has said Caesars workers had asked for a wage increase of 4.2 per cent effective Friday, and annual increases of about 4 per cent thereafter. The union previously said the company had offered an approximate 2.8 per cent increase for each of the five years.<\/p>\n
A permanent deal by the union with MGM will ensure that a walkout does not affect its properties: Aria Resort & Casino, Bellagio Hotel & Casino, Circus Circus Hotel & Resort, Excalibur Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel & Casino, MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Mirage, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Bay, including the Delano and Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino, now known as Park MGM.<\/p>\n
In MGM’s case, the union has asked for average annual wage increases of 4 per cent for each of the next five years. It says the company has countered with an approximate 2.7 per cent raise.<\/p>\n
The average worker on the Las Vegas Strip makes about $23 an hour, including benefits such as premium-free health care, a pension and a 401(k) retirement savings plan.<\/p>\n
The last citywide strike was in 1984, costing the city and workers millions of dollars.<\/p>\n
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