Culinary Union members arrested for blocking Strip traffic
Hospitality workers further increased the public pressure on resort employers Wednesday when about 75 Culinary Local 226 members were arrested for blocking traffic at the center of the Strip.
The union said thousands participated in the pre-strike rally and “mass action civil disobedience” as negotiations between some of Las Vegas’ major employers — MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts — and the union over a new five-year contract were scheduled this week and next.
Shop stewards who help lead negotiations volunteered to sit in the street in front of the Bellagio and Paris Las Vegas, blocking traffic in both directions for about 15 minutes. They wore yellow armbands for officers to easily identify who would sit in the street, stopping traffic — and T-shirts declaring their impending arrest for the contract.
“For me, being arrested says I’m willing to do this,” Maria Espino, a casino porter at Caesars Palace, said over a DJ playing pop and dance music for the protesters. “This is my first time. Sometimes they say, ‘We don’t care about our employees.’ But I think they care about their employees and they’re gonna see this.”
Union officials said the arrested members would be processed by the Metropolitan Police Department and released that night. The union will help represent them in court.
Las Vegas union members were joined by striking casino workers employed at MGM Grand Detroit. The Detroit Casino Council, made up of 3,700 workers in five unions that work at three casinos, has been on strike since Oct. 17.
Contracts expired at the three large employers in September, and the union held a strike authorization vote in which 95 percent of members supported a strike, if necessary. About 40,000 members are working under expired contracts and would be the first to go on strike if one is called.
The rally was the second public gathering this month. Workers also picketed in front of Paris and other hotels on Oct. 12.
No strike deadline has been set, but Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said one may be called as soon as next week against any of the three largest employers. Other strike deadlines specific to independent Strip operators and downtown properties could happen over the next six weeks to two months.
Union negotiators met with MGM officials on Monday, and Pappageorge said there was more movement on economic issues, but other major topics of the negotiations — increased deployment of job-replacing technology, on-the-job safety, daily room cleanings and adjustments to the “no-strike” clause at nonunion restaurants — haven’t been addressed to the union’s satisfaction.
“We can make movement but we’ve got to get to a good end zone, not a goal line here,” Pappageorge said. “If we don’t do that, there’s gonna be a strike.”
Negotiations continue with Caesars Entertainment on Friday and with Wynn Resorts on Monday.
McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.
