FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union announces that Resorts World Las Vegas has a union contract
Las Vegas, NV – Culinary and Bartenders Unions are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 negotiating committees comprised of union negotiators and worker leaders on the negotiating committee have reached a tentative agreement with Resorts World Las Vegas for a new, three-year contract covering 2,000 of the company’s employees in Las Vegas. Hundreds of workers participated in the contract ratification on Friday, May 20, 2022 and 99% voted to accept the first-time contract.
“Welcome Resorts World Las Vegas workers to the union! We are thrilled to have you join our union family,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union and lead negotiator. “The Culinary Union applauds Resorts World Las Vegas for committing to a card-check neutrality agreement early on - which showed the city and employees that the company respected workers’ right to choose whether to form a union - and for agreeing to a strong union contract that protects workers by providing fair wages, job security, and the best health care benefits in Nevada.”
“Being union is so exciting and I’m really happy for my family and my coworkers!” said Susana Licona, a guest room attendant at Resorts World Las Vegas. “I voted YES to accept my contract because having a union is the best protection we can have. I wanted to make sure that I have a good job in the future. Now, we have the best health care and job security - everything that was important is guaranteed in the union contract. I’m really happy to be part of the union and join the rest of my union brothers and sisters throughout the city. YES WE DID!”
“Resorts World Las Vegas prides itself on providing our guests with remarkable experiences, and that begins with our team members. We appreciate the Culinary and Bartenders Unions’ work with us these past months and are happy to announce a final agreement that recognizes the value of our employees and their contributions to the property,” said Scott Sibella, President at Resorts World Las Vegas.”
“I’m elated that we have a union contract!” said Tania Manguso, a cocktail server at Resorts World Las Vegas. “Knowing that we have job security when we go to work everyday gives me peace of mind that my family and I will be secure. I saw how my coworkers and I came together during negotiations and it was great to see how united we are. I’m also so happy that we will have amazing union health care benefits. We are so grateful for this great union contract!”
Resorts World Las Vegas opened June 24, 2021 and negotiations for a first-time union contract began December 15, 2021. After 6 months of negotiations, Resorts World Las Vegas is now unionized and eligible workers and their dependents who work as guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers will have excellent Culinary Health Fund benefits as of Wednesday, June 1, 2022. The new 3-year contract is in effect from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2025.
The new and first-time union contract at Resorts World Las Vegas contains standard union protections negotiated and won over the Culinary Union’s 87-year history, from health care benefits, wage increases, owners and successorship, access to Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, Culinary and Bartenders Housing Fund, Culinary & Bartenders Legal Service Fund, and including language on worker security regarding sexual harassment, workload, technology, and immigration.
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ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest Latinx/Black/AAPI/immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership which is 55% women and 45% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, 12% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples.
Culinary Union members work as: Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting and winning for working families in Nevada for 87 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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