Mirage, Tropicana union workers approve tentative 5-year contracts

Some 2,000 Culinary Union workers announched Wednesday they have reached tentative contract agreement with the two resorts they work for — The Mirage and the Tropicana.

The announcements were made Wednesday on X by Culinary Union 226.

BREAKING: The Culinary Union is pleased to announce a Tentative Agreement towards a new 5-year BEST CONTRACT EVER was just reached w/@TheMirageLV for over 1,700 hospitality workers.

Congratulations to Mirage / Hard Rock workers! pic.twitter.com/T0Xktp7vLD

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) December 13, 2023

Some 1,700 workers at The Mirage, soon to be Hard Rock, are involved along with 300 at the Tropicana.

Hard Rock purchased The Mirage several months ago. The facility is transitioning into a Hard Rock hotel/casino with plans to remove the volcano at the front of the property and replace it with a guitar-shaped hotel.

BREAKING: The Culinary Union is pleased to announce a Tentative Agreement towards a new 5-year BEST CONTRACT EVER was just reached w/@TropLV for over 300 hospitality workers.

Congratulations to Tropicana Las Vegas workers! 1/3 pic.twitter.com/9TUut1lhPB

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) December 14, 2023

“Hard Rock values the strong relationship we share with the Culinary Union and are happy to have collaboratively worked towards a finalized contract agreement,” Mirage President Joe Lupo stated in a text. “We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our team members over the past year of operating The Mirage.”

Union workers ratified a contract with MGM, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts on Nov. 22, “bringing increased wages for 40,000 employees and an end to the threat of a labor stoppage against the casino operators,” the union posted on its website.

Meet Marcus Lucas, utility porter at The Mirage, and Culinary Union member since 2007: “I’m mostly excited for the housekeepers, we got some great language…we done it! One job is absolutely enough!” pic.twitter.com/kyTz0sxzzw

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) December 14, 2023

The total compensation won is about $2 billion over the five-year contract, according to Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union. The union said it secured the largest wage hikes ever negotiated in its history, which will bring a 10 percent wage increase for every worker in the first year and a total of 32 percent in raises over the life of the new contract.

Union workers at Four Seasons recently voted to approve a similar contact.

The union remains in negotiations with 23 hotel-casino operators in Nevada — 10 on the Strip, 11 downtown and two in northern Nevada, according to a post on X.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.