With the hotel-workers strike in Southern California now more than 10 weeks old, another Unite Here chapter in another major meetings destination is prepared to vote on whether they too should bring a strike into play.
The Culinary Union Nevada and Bartenders Union Nevada, each part of the national Unite Here labor organization, have been without a contract for about 53,000 of their members working in Las Vegas hotels since June 1. Those union members are guest-room attendants, cocktail and food servers, bartenders, porters, bellhops, cooks, and kitchen workers who serve at nearly two dozen meeting and incentive properties on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotels are operated by Caesars Entertainment, Four Seasons, MGM, Virgin, and Wynn, among others.
At present, the union workers are operating under a contract extension that requires them to give at least seven days’ notice before striking if they find negotiations unproductive. The September 26 vote could bring that possibility into the mix.
During a labor dispute in late 2022 with the convention centers in Orlando and Las Vegas, foodservice workers represented by Unite Here voted to authorize a strike within six weeks and three weeks, respectively. In both cities, a contract was finalized before that deadline.
If a similar time frame is used by the hotel workers’ union in Las Vegas, sometime between October 17 and November 1 would be the deadline for a contract deal that prevents a strike.
With autumn being a prime time for meetings, conventions, and events in Las Vegas, a strike could affect the hotel service provided to attendees—including more than 10,000 members of the meetings and events industry arriving for IMEX America, happening from October 15 to 18 at Mandalay Bay, an MGM property. Another big business event coming in: The 50,000-attendee Automotive Aftermarket Expo from October 31 to November 2.
On the leisure side, upcoming citywide events include Mecum Collector Car Auctions from November 9 to 11; an inaugural Formula 1 auto race on the Las Vegas Strip on November 19; and several Las Vegas Raiders football games at Allegiant Stadium in October, November, and December.
