Las Vegas Virgin Hotels Strike: Culinary Workers Demand Fair Wages Amid Grand Prix

Strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas: Workers Demand Better Contracts

Workers at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are on strike, seeking better pay and benefits. About 700 members of the Culinary Workers Union are picketing outside the hotel-casino. The strike comes just before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is expected to attract many fans.

The union wants wages and benefits similar to those recently agreed upon at other resorts. This is the first open-ended strike for the Culinary Workers Union since 2002. The union has around 60,000 members in Nevada.

No negotiations are planned. Union spokesperson Bethany Khan confirmed that Virgin Hotels has received over 600 applications for contract and temporary worker positions. The union provides $500 per week to workers on strike.

The workers affected include guest room attendants, food servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff. Last May, the union staged a two-day job action to push for a new five-year contract that includes increased wages and added benefits.

Recently, Virgin Hotels reached a contract with 105 Teamsters Union members, covering front desk, valet, and call center workers. Other casinos have successfully negotiated contracts with the Culinary Union that include salary increases of about 32% over five years.

Virgin Hotels has labeled these contracts as “economically unsustainable,” insisting on a “reasonable agreement” for its employees. The company claims the union refuses to engage in meaningful discussions.

The last time the Culinary Union went on strike was in 2002, affecting the Golden Gate hotel-casino for ten days.