Culinary Union Strike At Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Friday
The Culinary Union Local 226 has been batting 1.000. Major hotel and casino operators throughout the valley have tried to hold out, only to feel the pressure of major events like the Super Bowl and F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. It made sense to give in to many of the union’s demands, but there has been one hold out. Friday at 5:00 am, the Culinary Union strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas begins for 48 hours.
Employees at Virgin Hotels, a Hilton property, have been working without a contract since June 2023. There have been many close calls for a potential strike just before the Las Vegas edition of the Super Bowl on February 5th. The Culinary Union said they were postponing the strike because it seemed as though progress was being made, and a resolution would be coming in mere weeks.
Now, it appears that is not the case. If the strike goes forward on Friday morning, it will mark the first time the Culinary Union walks out and pounds the pavement in over two decades.
In a statement on their website, Culinary Union Local 226 states “The union, along with Bartenders Local 165, is calling attention to the stalled contract talks that have been taking place since last year with operators of the off-Strip property. The Culinary is asking the community and customers not to cross the picket lines between Friday morning and Sunday at 4:59 a.m. when the abbreviated strike is scheduled to end.”
Threatened Culinary Union Strike At Virgin Hotels Not Taken Laying Down
Ironically, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas says they are getting screwed here, and the Culinary Union is to blame.
In a complaint to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the property claims they have made “sincere efforts” to negotiate, and were doing so until as early as last week. That’s when they say the Culinary Union canceled a planned May 2nd meeting to try to come to terms.
The Culinary Union has pushed back, saying it is Virgin who has delayed a conclusion to the expired contract with talk, and no action, for nearly half a year.
We will see how everything plays out, but it does look like if the Culinary Union strike at Virgin Hotels, it will be the guests that will get screwed this weekend.