Union forms among all casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, marking a historical milestone.
In a groundbreaking development, every major casino on the Las Vegas Strip has unionized, marking a significant milestone for the city's hospitality workers. This historic unionization was the culmination of a series of labor agreements, the threat of a potential strike, and concessions from major casino companies.
The Culinary Workers Union, a long-established force in Las Vegas labor relations, played a central role in this transformation. With 60,000 hospitality worker members, the union has been negotiating improved contracts throughout 2023 and 2024, pushing for better pay and working conditions. The threat of a strike loomed large, increasing pressure on casino operators.
Major companies, including Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, and MGM Resorts, eventually made key concessions in new contracts to avoid labor disruption. These agreements typically involved significant wage increases (around 32%), improved working conditions, and greater job security.
One of the most significant concessions came from the Venetian, a casino that had resisted unionization for its 25+ years of existence. The change of ownership helped break the stalemate, leading to a contract agreement praised by Venetian's CEO Patrick Nichols as laying the foundation for a long-term positive partnership between workers and management.
The union’s success also reflects its strategic growth beyond local labor negotiations, including increased political influence through voter outreach and campaign support in Nevada. This contributed to more leverage in bargaining processes and solidified Las Vegas’s identity as a “union town.”
However, the unionization of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip comes amidst economic challenges. Tourism levels to Las Vegas have decreased by 11% in June compared to the previous year, and resorts are expected to begin cost-cutting measures. One area under threat is the hours and jobs of the workforce in Las Vegas resorts.
Despite these challenges, the unionization provides employees with a greater safety net than they once had. The Nevada-based Culinary Workers Union now represents employees at every Las Vegas casino, offering better pay, paid leave, pensions, and family health insurance, as well as job protection with previously laid-off employees given priority for future roles.
[1] Las Vegas Review-Journal. (2024, September 1). Venetian becomes last major Strip casino to unionize. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/venetian-becomes-last-major-strip-casino-to-unionize-2376823/
[2] KNPR. (2024, September 1). After 25 years, The Venetian becomes the last Las Vegas Strip casino to unionize. Retrieved from https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/after-25-years-the-venetian-becomes-the-last-las-vegas-strip-casino-to-unionize/
[3] Las Vegas Sun. (2024, September 1). The Venetian becomes the last major Las Vegas Strip casino to unionize. Retrieved from https://lasvegassun.com/news/2024/sep/01/the-venetian-becomes-the-last-major-las-vegas-strip-casino-to-unionize/
- In a momentous shift, The Venetian, a long-standing casino in Las Vegas, finally joined the union trend on the Strip, thereby becoming part of the city's growing casino culture.
- With the Venetian's unionization, casino-and-gambling establishments along the Las Vegas Strip have fully embraced unionization, solidifying Las Vegas's status as a city deeply rooted in casino-culture and union culture alike.
