Culinary Workers Union members arrested in Vegas as strike looms

October 26, 2023 01:34 PM

The union representing culinary workers within the Las Vegas strip held a demonstration in the street during rush hour on Wednesday.

Some 75 members were arrested during a civil disobedience stint. Vegas police were notified by the union beforehand that a protest would be taking place and those who were arrested donned shirts that read: “I’m getting arrested to win the best contract ever.” The Culinary Workers Union is currently in negotiations with MGM, Caesars, and Wynn Resorts but has voted to strike if they cannot come to an agreement.

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Culinary Union Vegas — Members of the Culinary Workers Union block traffic along the Strip, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Las Vegas. Thousands of hotel workers fighting for new union contracts rallied Wednesday night on the Las Vegas Strip, where rush-hour traffic was disrupted when some members blocked the road before being detained by police. (AP Photo/John Locher)

“Thousands of Culinary Union members rallied on the Strip on October 25, and 75 workers participated in a civil disobedience action in the middle of the Strip to continue pushing for a new 5-year union contract,” the union wrote on Facebook. “Culinary Union is asking Nevada locals, elected officials, political candidates, and tourists to support hospitality workers by not patronizing hotels and casinos if there is a labor dispute, if and where there is one.”

Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union, promised reporters at the scene that the union plans to represent its arrested members in court.

These three companies represent the largest private employers in the city. On the same day of the demonstrations, MGM announced a “cabaret dining experience” slated during the Grand Prix beginning on Nov. 12. Neither MGM or Ceasars responded to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment. However, Wynn Resorts told the Washington Examiner it did not have a comment to share.

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Most recently, the union met with employers for a 12-hour negotiation period on Monday. The resulting contract would last five years and has been in discussion since April.

Union members are seeking a 4% raise and protections from technology. One example of the current wage comes from MGM’s Mandalay Bay, which pays its unionized fountain workers $3.76 an hour more than a non-union employee, while its union cooks earn as much as $6.32 more than a non-union cook.