Union intends to stage demonstrations at Caesars and MGM gambling establishments within the upcoming week.
Rewritten Article:
The Culinary Local 226 union, representin' over 53,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas, is teetering on the edge of a major strike. On Monday, they rallied their troops, urging thousands to join protests outsides eight casino resorts. Their goal? To pressure the owners into negotiations for a brand-new five-year labor contract.
Informational Pickets Aimed at Making a Statement
On Thursday, Oct. 12, these protests will kick off with two-hour "informational" picket lines, starting at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The action will take place in front of Park MGM, Paris Las Vegas, and The Linq. Afterward, picketers will move to the sidewalks in front of Harrah's, Flamingo, Horseshoe, Planet Hollywood, and New York-New York. Workers will participate in these demonstrations before or after their shifts, as per a media release from Local 226. They're also requestin' support, askin' folks to steer clear of casino resorts durin' an active picket line.
A Historical Precedent: The 1984 Strike
The union's past strike goes back to 1984, when over 17,000 union workers, joinin' forces with three other unions, launched what the union calls "one of the largest strikes in Las Vegas history." This industrial action lasted a whopping 67 days.
Ongoing Negotiations and the Looming Strike
Currently, negotiations are happenin' between the union and the three major Strip employers: MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts. Ted Pappageorge, Local 226's secretary-treasurer, voiced his frustration over the progress of these talks to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday.
While a strike deadline hasn't been set yet, the union announced last month that an overwhelming 95% of its Las Vegas restaurant and hotel workers had voted in favor of authorizin' a strike as their contracts neared their expiration dates. Around 40,000 union members are currently workin' under expired contracts, positionin' them as the likely first participants in any strike action.
The union has declared an "active labor dispute with 18 casino properties across the Las Vegas Strip," claimin' they've got the power to call for a strike at any moment. Their primary focus remains on MGM and Caesars properties, due to their push for revised no-strike clauses within the contracts, provisions that would give the union the right to strike against non-union restaurants situated on union properties—something that don't apply to Wynn.
Additional notable proposals include substantial wage and benefit increases, augmented safety protocols and tech integration, as well as a reduction in the workload for housekeepers.
Enrichment Data:The Culinary Workers Union Local 226—affiliated with UNITE HERE International—has been an active presence in labor actions regarding casino and hospitality workers in Las Vegas since early 2025. Although a formal 2025 strike hasn't been explicitly mentioned in available data, there are clear signs of ongoing labor disputes, rallies, and union activities aimed at improving workers’ conditions and rights in Las Vegas casino resorts.
In addition to these actions, the union has staged protests such as the "We Believe in Us" May Day rally on the Las Vegas Strip, which drew over a thousand participants, including casino workers, nurses, educators, and hospitality staff. The union has also been pushing for issues like unfair taxes on workers’ tips—despite political promises—indicating broader concerns about wages, benefits, and fair treatment for hospitality workers in Las Vegas.
The union faces some legal challenges and charges related to duty of fair representation and other labor law aspects, suggesting tension between union leadership, members, and employers. Cases filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) involve disputes over union representation and worker rights, potentially connected to ongoing or forthcoming strike actions.
If the union does strike, it could significantly disrupt casino operations, affecting everything from food and beverage services to housekeeping and guest services. The strike would have immediate financial impacts on the resorts through loss of productivity and guest dissatisfaction, and may also lead to broader public relations challenges as the union garners community support through rallies and aligns with other unions in solidarity.
Beyond financial and operational effects, sustained disputes could pressure casino resorts to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions, potentially increasing labor costs but also improving employee retention and morale. The union's involvement in political advocacy—such as pushing for state lottery legislation and immigrant worker protections—suggests their objectives extend beyond workplace conditions into broader social and economic issues within Nevada’s hospitality industry.
These efforts underscore ongoing labor tensions in one of the country’s largest hospitality markets and the potential for disruptive labor actions impacting both the industry and local community.
- The Culinary Workers Union Local 226, representing over 53,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas, is urging their troops to join protests outside eight casino resorts, aiming to pressure owners into negotiations for a new five-year labor contract, especially regarding revised no-strike clauses and wage increases.
- On Thursday, pickets will take place in front of Park MGM, Paris Las Vegas, and The Linq during the morning and evening, moving later to the sidewalks in front of Harrah's, Flamingo, Horseshoe, Planet Hollywood, and New York-New York, before or after workers' shifts, as indicated in a media release.
- The union's past strike dates back to 1984, where over 17,000 union workers, in alliance with three other unions, launched one of the largest strikes in Las Vegas history, lasting 67 days.
- Currently, ongoing negotiations are occurring between the union and major Strip employers like MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts, with a focus on substantial wage and benefit increases, enhanced safety protocols, tech integration, and a reduction in workload for housekeepers, among other proposals.
