Culinary, Bartenders union plan downtown pickets
Culinary and Bartenders union workers plan to picket at 10 downtown Las Vegas casinos this weekend.
“This is the next step in us getting ready to go on strike,” said Local Culinary 226 spokeswoman Bethany Khan. “This is an informational picket, letting the public and customers know there’s an active labor dispute at these properties.”
Workers are expected to picket from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday between El Cortez and the Plaza.
The casino properties with unsettled contracts: Binion’s, El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Las Vegas Club, the Plaza, Main Street Station, and The D. The picket also includes Brady Laundries, which provides linen services for casino workers.
That list comprises about 5,000 workers without contracts. They have been in negotiations for about a year-and-a-half, Khan said.
The union also will set up a location for workers to sign up for strike benefits and strike picket shifts between Four Queens and The D, Khan said.
Late last month, the workers voted to authorize a strike should the two sides not reach an agreement.
Workers from Strip properties, which have settled contract agreements with the unions, are expected to join in the picket to support downtown employees.
