Unions press for more deals with Las Vegas hotels and casinos
Hotels and casinos in Las Vegas have been anxiously trying to head off strike action, in a week of tense union negotiations.
Still smarting from the effects of the 11 September terrorist attacks, some of the biggest names on the Strip have been facing their largest walkout in 18 years.
The Culinary Workers Union, representing 45,000 hospitality workers in the city, reached agreements last week with several companies: Park Place Entertainment, whose properties include Caesars, Bally's and Paris; Mandalay Resort Group (Mandalay Bay, Circus Circus, Luxor); MGM Mirage (MGM Grand, New York-New York, Bellagio, Treasure Island); Harrah's Las Vegas; and the Tropicana.
Negotiations were still continuing this week with independent hotels, those off the Strip, and the 2,400-room Stratosphere, with Saturday set as a strike date.
"We're not going to leave one member in one hotel behind," said CWU political director Glen Arnodo.
Over a five-year contract the union wanted assurances that workers would not have to start paying for healthcare, that there would be lighter workloads for housekeepers, as well as permission for housekeepers to wear trousers rather than skirts.
Arnodo said workloads had increased after massive lay-offs following 11 September, and that 2,000 CWU members were still jobless or on reduced hours. But he was hopeful the city's recent economic rebound would lead to re-hiring. "We're not at pre-11 September levels, but we never thought we would rebound this quickly."
MGM Mirage cut 6,000 workers but more than two-thirds were back to work, said Alan Feldman, senior vice-president, public affairs. He said its occupancies were 10% below pre-11 September levels.
An estimated 15,000 to 18,000 hotel and casino jobs were slashed citywide after the attacks, and occupancies reportedly fell as low as 50%.
by Gillian Drummond
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 30 May - 5 June 2002