Hospitality workers at The Venetian and Palazzo in Las Vegas broke out in celebration Tuesday after receiving news of their first-ever union contract. The announcement, made public by the Culinary Union, covers more than 4,000 hospitality workers and will soon be put to a ratification vote by the union members.
Details about the agreement remain undisclosed. However, the atmosphere was electrifying as union members cheered and applauded the milestone. In a video interview released by the union, Maureen Kimbro, a housekeeper at The Venetian/Palazzo, expressed her elation. “I am so ecstatic,” she said, adding, “How things change if we actually voice our concerns and have a group of people that back us up. It makes a lot of difference.” Kimbro, who has been employed at the hotel for nearly eight years, also noted, “We made it happen, guys. We got it. First-time contract for Venetian.”
Kimbro emphasized the unique achievement by pointing out, “We’re the last one on the Strip and we made it happen.” This triumph follows several months of rigorous negotiations by the Culinary Union, which has successfully secured contracts at various independent properties and those owned by large companies.
In November, union members at Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and MGM Resorts International managed to negotiate agreements that included a significant 10% wage increase in the first year and an overall 32% increase over the duration of the deals, thereby averting a threatened strike. Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge revealed that under the previous contract, the average Culinary Union member earned about $28 an hour, including benefits. By the end of the new five-year contract, this amount is expected to rise to approximately $37 an hour.
It remains uncertain whether workers at The Venetian/Palazzo will enjoy similar salary increases as those previously negotiated. Casino.org reached out to The Venetian and The Palazzo for comment, but no immediate statements were issued.
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of the national Unite Here union, represent a significant workforce of 60,000 in Las Vegas and Reno. Their members include bartenders, bellmen, cocktail and food servers, cooks, guest room attendants, kitchen workers, and porters, serving in most casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas.
