Virgin strikers approach 2nd week off the job. What’s next?

Culinary Local 226’s longest-lasting strike in more than two decades is approaching its second week with no end in sight, the union’s lead negotiator said Wednesday.

Hospitality workers at Virgin Hotels, a resort-casino located about a mile east of the Las Vegas Strip, walked off the job on Nov. 15, but Culinary Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said the strikers are still going strong heading into the Thanksgiving weekend.

The labor dispute comes after months of on-and-off negotiations over a new five-year contract for Virgin’s estimated 700 non-gaming Culinary members and one other limited strike. The previous contract expired in June 2023.

At issue are wage increases. Union officials have called on Virgin’s ownership group — made up of JC Hospitality LLC and partnerships with Juniper Capital Partners, Virgin Group, LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, Dream and Orlando Development — to “accept the Las Vegas standards” and give their workers pay increases that fall in line with comparable raises at other union-represented properties in the resort corridor.

Meanwhile, Virgin management argues such increases are not economically viable and accuses the union of bargaining in bad faith.

“Workers from the Strat and the Westgate received over $4 an hour wage increases this year to keep up with Las Vegas cost of living,” Pappageorge said in a Wednesday interview. “It was necessary. This company offered an average of $0.30 (over the contract). I think this company needs to either meet Las Vegas standards or get out of Las Vegas.”

Culinary workers continue to try to bring attention to their strike. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, joined the picket line on Tuesday. Pappageorge also said union members plan to speak during public comment at the Clark County Commission meeting next Tuesday to call on Formula One owners to terminate their ride-share drop-off location agreement for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

And on Nov. 21, the union held a protest where 57 hospitality workers sat on Paradise Road to block traffic. The Metropolitan Police Department said the workers were detained, removed from the area and cited for blocking traffic on Paradise Road in a nonviolent protest.

Virgin Hotels said it has been hiring temporary workers to backfill any positions left open by striking workers. It defended the practice of what Culinary calls “scabs,” or workers breaking the picket lines, to keep operations steady during the labor dispute.

A spokesperson for the property previously said they couldn’t specify how many temporary workers were hired.

Hotel-casino management said in a statement that “nothing has changed” when it comes to Culinary’s bargaining tactic.

“Despite Virgin Hotels Las Vegas agreeing to many of the Culinary Union’s demands and showing flexibility on critical sticking points, the Culinary Union has not seriously countered any of our economic proposals, nor even brought our latest offer to their members for a formal vote,” hotel management said in an unsigned statement Tuesday. “Virgin Hotels Las Vegas remains focused on reaching a reasonable agreement that secures a brighter future for all of our 1,710 team members and their families.”

Culinary’s last lengthy strike was at the Golden Gate casino in 2002, when members withheld their work for 10 days.

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.