Thousands of Hospitality Workers, Including Latinos, to Hold 'Informational Pickets' on Las Vegas Strip

After multiple rounds of negotiations with no fruitful outcome, thousands of hospitality workers are expected to picket in front of eight Strip resorts on Thursday, October 12.

Active informational picket lines will take place during two sessions of two hours. One in the morning from 10am-12pm and another from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in front of Park MGM, Paris Las Vegas and The Linq Hotel. Picket lines are expected to expand into the sidewalks in front of Harrah's, Flamingo, Horseshoe Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood Resort and New York-New York. A formal strike has not been scheduled.

The Culinary Workers and Bartenders Unions seek a new five-year contract with improved wages, benefits, lowering housekeeping quotas and job security protection. Contracts of about 40,000 MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts workers have expired.

In a press release, the Culinary Union 226 "urges members of the public, customers, community allies, elected officials, and convention planners to not cross an active picket line and to stand in solidarity with workers by not eating, meeting, or staying in a casino resort during an active picket line,".

According to the American Gaming Association, in the casino industry, Hispanic employees account for nearly 20% of the workforce. Members of the Culinary and Bartenders Unions voted by 95% to authorize a Citywide Strike if necessary. The culinary union has not yet set a strike deadline and continues negotiating with all gaming companies.

Union Leaders expected to be at the frontlines are Culinary UnionSecretary-Treasurer and chief negotiator Ted Pappageorge and President Diana Valles.

Valles was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, she moved to Las Vegas in 1988 where she has been a member of the Culinary Union for 34 years. She worked as a Guest Room Attendant at the Stardust Casino and worked other hospitality positions in other hotels like the Flamingo. Valles was 20-years-old when she was placed in a difficult contract fight at the Stardust Casino, she helped organize her coworkers to go on strike if the company didn't agree to a contract. Valles continues to mentor leaders and support working families. She has held other positions in leadership such as President of UNI Americas Gaming Division, Executive Committee Member of the Nevada State AFL-CIO, Vice-President of UNITE HERE International Union, and Trustee of the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas.

The White House commented after the Strike Vote: "President Biden believes all workers should have good jobs with fair pay and benefits that give them the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. Las Vegas has a long union history and workers have been critical to the city's growth and success. As the Culinary and Bartenders Unions continue contract negotiations, we urge the discussions to move forward in good faith and hope both sides come to an agreement that preserves the city's high quality hospitality jobs and gives all workers the quality of life they deserve."