All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory
The historic deals finalized late last year mark a major turning point: For the first time in the Culinary Union's 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized. Backed by 60,000 members, most of them in Las Vegas, it is the largest labor union in Nevada. Experts say the Culinary Union's success is a notable exception in a national landscape where union membership overall is declining.
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'Together, we've shown that change can be a positive force, and I'm confident that this partnership will continue to benefit us all in the years to come,' Patrick Nichols, president and CEO of the Venetian, said shortly after workers approved the deal.
Pacheco says their new contract has already reshaped her day-to-day life. The housekeeper no longer races against the clock to clean an unmanageable number of hotel suites, and she's spending more quality time with her children because of the better pay and guaranteed days off.
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'Now with the union, we have a voice,' Pacheco said.
Union strength is fading nationally
These gains come at a time when union membership nationally is at an all-time low, and despite Republican-led efforts over the years to curb union power. About 10% of U.S. workers belonged to a union in 2024, down from 20% in 1983, the first year for which data is available, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.
President Donald Trump in March signed an executive order seeking to end collective bargaining for certain federal employees that led to union leaders suing the administration. Nevada and more than two dozen other states now have so-called 'right to work' laws that let workers opt out of union membership and dues. GOP lawmakers have also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board and other regulatory bodies, seeking to reduce what they view as overly burdensome rules on businesses.
Ruben Garcia, professor and director of the workplace program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas law school, said the Culinary Union's resilience stems from its deep roots in Las Vegas, its ability to adapt to the growth and corporatization of the casino industry, and its long history of navigating complex power dynamics with casino owners and operators.
He said the consolidation of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip mirrors the dominance of the Big Three automakers in Detroit. A few powerful companies — MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts — now control most of the dozens of casinos along Las Vegas Boulevard.
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'That consolidation can make things harder for workers in some ways, but it also gives unions one large target,' Garcia said.
That dynamic worked in the union's favor in 2023, when the threat of a major strike by 35,000 hospitality workers with expired contracts loomed over the Strip. But a last-minute deal with Caesars narrowly averted the walkout, and it triggered a domino effect across the Strip, with the union quickly finalizing similar deals for workers at MGM Resorts and Wynn properties.
The latest contracts secured a historic 32% bump in pay over the life of the five-year contract. Union casino workers will earn an average $35 hourly, including benefits, by the end of it.
The union's influence also extends far beyond the casino floor. With its ability to mobilize thousands of its members for canvassing and voter outreach, the union's endorsements are highly coveted, particularly among Democrats, and can signal who has the best shot at winning working-class votes.
The union has — and still — faces resistance
The union's path hasn't always been smooth though. Michael Green, a history professor at UNLV, noted the Culinary Union has long faced resistance.
'Historically, there have always been people who are anti-union,' Green said.
Earlier this year, two food service workers in Las Vegas filed federal complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the union of deducting dues despite their objections to union membership. It varies at each casino, but between 95 to 98% of workers opt in to union membership, according to the union.
'I don't think Culinary Union bosses deserve my support,' said one of the workers, Renee Guerrero, who works at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip. 'Their actions since I attempted to exercise my right to stop dues payments only confirms my decision.'
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But longtime union members like Paul Anthony see things differently. Anthony, a food server at the Bellagio and a Culinary member for nearly 40 years, said his union benefits — free family health insurance, reliable pay raises, job security and a pension — helped him to build a lasting career in the hospitality industry.
'A lot of times it is an industry that doesn't have longevity,' he said. But on the Strip, it's a job that people can do for '20 years, 30 years, 40 years.'
Ted Pappageorge, the union's secretary-treasurer and lead negotiator, said the union calls this the 'Las Vegas dream.'
'It's always been our goal to make sure that this town is a union town,' he said.
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People actually believe the stuff Trump and his administration say, and it makes me embarrassed and angry. I will definitely fight against the MAGA community if it comes to it. My country and its three WORKING forms of government NEED TO WORK CORRECTLY!" "I'm an 80-year-old combat veteran of the Marine Corps, and I find the current administration incompetent, shameful, and dangerous. Trump and his enablers would benefit from devoting more time to self-reflection, self-improvement, and self-discipline. Instead, it seems to me that with their power-hungry appetites, they favor self-aggrandisement, money-grubbing, and boot-licking." "As a former active duty, combat arms platoon leader during the 1970s, I learned leadership principles from the world's finest leaders. The first lesson I learned and practiced every day was to take care of your people. We were taught that you are responsible for your people's well-being, which included giving them realistic training, adequate shelter, food, health, and pay and promotions. Trump doesn't give a damn about taking care of anybody but himself." "I'm a Cold War veteran who served for four years on active duty when the Soviet Union was a real threat. Now, the biggest threat to my country is the current administration in DC. I never did think that there would be troops deployed against our fellow Americans just because the president gets offended when someone calls him out on his lies. Every single day, there's a new lie fed to the MAGA cult. It's absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. Service members swear an oath to the Constitution, not to a person. We are obligated to disobey orders that are illegal. We need military leadership to stand up and call him out for his actions." —John, 55, Connecticut "The convicted felon residing in the White House is a true danger to all of democracy. I served 10 years in the Army and am proud to have served. I worked closely with other NATO soldiers and know what they admired the United States for. I look around now and wonder what happened. Felon Trump and his asslicking, self-serving sycophants have created an image of our country that embarrasses and frightens me as a father and grandfather." If you're an active duty or reserve US military member or a veteran, what are your thoughts on Trump's presidency so far? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously voice your thoughts using the form below.
