Culinary Union Achieves Landmark Labor Agreements in Las Vegas
The Culinary Union Local 226, Nevada’s largest hotel workers union, has reached tentative three-year labor agreements with Resorts World Las Vegas and The Cosmopolitan, covering approximately 4,500 workers. This marks a significant milestone in the union’s 90-year history.
The new contracts, negotiated by the Culinary Union and Bartenders Union Local 165, include what the unions are calling the largest wage increases ever secured for Las Vegas hospitality workers. The agreements also bring the Las Vegas Strip to 100% unionization, a first for the city’s gaming corridor.
“We are proud to have achieved an excellent new union contract for Resorts World Las Vegas workers. This first-class union contract lays the foundation for a successful future for the hotel, the company, and the workers,” stated Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer of the Culinary Union.
“Nothing in our nine decades has been easy. Victories are the result of militant worker organizing, sacrifice, and determination,” he added.
The three-year agreements expire on September 30, 2028, aligning with contracts reached at other unionized Strip properties during the 2023 city-wide collective bargaining campaign.
The contracts offer extensive protections for hospitality staff, including mandatory daily room cleaning, reduced cleaning quotas, and expanded safety measures, such as widespread use of panic buttons and penalties for defective devices. Employers will also be required to conduct mandatory room inspections and follow up on incidents of guest harassment or criminal conduct.
Furthermore, they include provisions designed to mitigate the impact of automation and workplace surveillance technologies. Employers must provide advance notice before introducing technology that replaces employees and negotiate terms that include worker training, severance pay, and privacy protection.
“We achieved our BEST contract. Yes, it was a lot of work, we stayed up late and were tired, but it was worth it because this new contract will change lives,” expressed Lucila Zamora, a room attendant at Resorts World and a Culinary Union member for 13 years.
Other key benefits include continued access to healthcare through the Culinary Health Fund, union pensions, and extended job recall rights for up to three years in the event of a future crisis.
“This is a groundbreaking contract. We will continue to have job security and peace of mind,” stated Tania Morales, a casino porter at Resorts World.
Notably, the agreement at The Cosmopolitan represents the first contract negotiated there since MGM Resorts International acquired the property. Workers at both properties are expected to vote on ratification soon.
The Culinary Union, affiliated with UNITE HERE, represents nearly 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno in sectors such as casinos, hotels, and food service.
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