Las Vegas casino workers union votes to authorize strike

Las Vegas casino workers on Tuesday voted to authorize a strike anytime after June 1, increasing the possibility that workers could walk off the job in the city for the first time in over 30 years. 

Roughly 25,000 Culinary Union members voted in two different sessions, in a move to obtain new five year contracts, according to The Associated Press.

Fifty-thousand unionized workers’ contracts are on track to expire at midnight on May 31, and new terms have yet to be agreed upon.

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Union workers are demanding job security against technological advancements at hotels, tougher language addressing sexual harassment in the workplace, and wage increases. 

“We’ve been in negotiations with the companies, and they are not giving the workers what they deserve according to the economy right now,” union Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Arguello-Kline told the AP. “They are very successful. They have a lot of money.”

The union’s members work across 34 different casino-resorts in the Las Vegas area, meaning a strike could deal a major blow to the city’s vibrant tourist industry. 

A potential strike could impact famous destinations like Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood. 

MGM told the news outlet they will continue to meet with the unions. 

“A vote such as this is an expected part of the process,” MGM said in a statement. “We are confident that we can resolve the outstanding contract issues and will come to an agreement that works for all sides.”

Caesars said in a statement that it anticipates reaching an agreement with the union around June 1, according to the AP.