Labor unions are launching a campaign to save jobs and win the “Right to Return” for hospitality, convention and trade shows, airport, entertainment and hospital workers throughout Clark County. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to members of the national hospitality workers union during UNITE HERE’s town hall on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 at Culinary Union Hall in Las Vegas. @bizutesfaye
Democrats have full control in Carson City, and they’re eager to reward their union allies with power and costly perks. Gov. Steve Sisolak has already promised to give collective bargaining to state workers. Democrats are also eager to roll back the modest collective bargaining reforms passed in 2015. They pushed through a bill repealing those reforms in 2017, but then-governor Brian Sandoval vetoed it.
Members of the Service Employees International Union picket outside the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 in Las Vegas. The SEIU is in the midst of contract negotiations with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which has hired a local law firm to handle its negotiations. (David Guzman/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @davidguzman1985
Unions representing Las Vegas casino workers could call a citywide strike as early as June 1 if they do not reach a deal with employers. Las Vegas casino strikes have been avoided in most cases. The last citywide strike was in 1984. It affected 32 resorts and lasted 67 days. A month-long strike in June could cost MGM Resorts and Caesars as much as $300 million in cash flow, according to a union report In 1984, a union strike fund helped support workers during the period they picketed.
The Culinary union will ask Las Vegas casinos and hotels to supply guest room attendants with panic buttons amid national attention to the issue of workplace sexual harassment. The proposal is part of the union’s demands as it readies for talks for 50,000 of its 57,000 employees on a five-year contract with casinos next month, said Bethany Khan, a spokeswoman for Culinary Local 226. Panic buttons would allow guest room attendants to notify security if they are in an uncomfortable or threatening situation. The union will be renegotiating contracts with Caesars, MGM Resorts International and several downtown casinos starting in mid February.
Allegiant Air Flight attendants picket in front of McCarran International Airport on Wednesday to highlight union efforts to settle a six-year contract fight. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye
Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association members picketed in front of The Orleans hotel and casino to fight for their contracts to be equal to the benefits other major airlines have on Wednesday, February 10, 2016.
