Las Vegas Casino Strike: Union reaches settlement with Caesars Ent.
Following reports of a possible citywide strike by casino workers in Las Vegas, the Culinary Union today announced it had reached an agreement with Caesars Entertainment, one of the city’s leading employers. Still, the union could still call for strike action, as contracts at 34 properties in Las Vegas have expired, and new terms have yet to be negotiated with MGM Resorts International and other casino operators.
Shortly after the collective contract of about 50,000 workers in Las Vegas expired hours ago, Cooking Workers’ Union Area 226 said on Twitter it had reached a tentative agreement with Caesars Entertainment. The deal offers new contracts to approximately 12,000 employees at nine casino resorts in The Streep. The contract is valid for five years, and comes after 99% of workers voted to approve the strike if the old contract was not renewed on time. Last week, about 25,000 people, including housekeepers, bartenders, chefs and bellmen, took part in the vote. They and more people have been looking for improved contracts since February.
The newly signed agreement with Caesars may sound hopeful, but it targets only about a third of disgruntled casino and hotel employees in Las Vegas. On Thursday, about 50,000 union members threatened to picket lines if employers did not comply with their demands. With the union not agreeing to an agreement with its second major employer, MGM Resorts International, the prospect of a strike that could rock the city remains very real. There are far more properties in downtown Las Vegas that could be affected if workers quit their jobs. 슬롯게임
Las Vegas to face first strike in 30 years
There have been no major worker strikes in Las Vegas in the past 30 years or so. The last large picket demonstration cost millions of dollars in the closure of casinos and resorts in 1984. Striking workers and casino operators have also lost millions of dollars, though they cannot make accurate estimates. Negotiations between the union and the casino will continue past midnight on Thursday, when the current contract expires, according to Deutsche Bank analysts. They believe that a citywide strike is highly unlikely.
On the other hand, the Culinary Union threatens to take strike action if it fails to reach an agreement. The 30-day strike will cost Caesars and MGM Resorts a total of $300 million. That means the two major companies could lose a total of $10 million in revenue from daily strikes. Of course, the union is in a position to dramatize and expand the potential risks and costs of a citywide strike. Moreover, with the newly signed tentative agreement with Caesars Entertainment, all of these estimates will need to be substantially reduced.
In addition, other experts believe that the actual cost of a possible worker strike in Las Vegas will be much lower. It hasn’t happened in more than 30 years, so analysts can’t make any predictions. Currently, the agreement with Caesars includes workers at nine resorts, which means employees at 25 different properties across the city can decide to picket lines. According to David Schwartz of the UNLV Center for Game Research, the effects of a large worker strike could last longer than expected.
Most casino and hotel customers visit the city during their vacation, which means their plans will be suspended. Also, dozens or hundreds of commemorative events, conventions, sporting events, and shows will be canceled or postponed. This will affect much more people and businesses in the long run.