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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 5 June 2018

Union negotiates with smaller

Vegas casinos to avoid strike

By REGINA GARCIA CANO agreements with the two been resolved with this
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A union largest casino operators in new contract and that
for Las Vegas casino- Sin City because workers employees will continue
hotel workers is shifting its have not approved them. to provide guests superior
attention to negotiating But generally, both sides service and experiences,"
contracts with smaller agreed to wage increases Tom Jenkin, global
casino operators after and to equip housekeepers president and lead
reaching tentative labor with "panic buttons" — negotiator for Caesars, said
agreements with two wireless devices that in a statement. "This historic
companies that employ workers can use to alert agreement ensures that
most of the 50,000 managers if they are in a our union team members In this photo taken May 22, 2018, members of the Culinary
employees threatening the threatening situation. will continue to be a crucial Workers Union, Local 226, applaud during a presentation before
first citywide strike in more The contracts of 50,000 part of the Las Vegas voting on whether to authorize a strike in Las Vegas.
than three decades. employees, including dream." Associated Press
The Culinary Union said bartenders, housekeepers, No date has been set for a
Monday that it was now bellmen and kitchen possible strike, but workers The last citywide strike was Vegas.
focusing on 15 properties workers, at 34 casino- have started signing up in 1984, and it cost the The average worker
on the Las Vegas Strip and hotels expired at midnight for strike pay, financial city and workers millions of on the Las Vegas Strip
in downtown not covered Thursday. After talks assistance and picketing dollars. makes about $23 an hour,
by the deals with Caesars began in February, the shifts. If there is a strike, The union said negotiators including benefits such as
Entertainment and MGM union reached deals with visitors could see workers will focus first on casino- premium-free health care,
Resorts International. The Caesars on Friday and picketing outside casino- hotels on the Strip and then a pension and a 401(k)
workers without new five- MGM on Saturday. hotels still in negotiations. on those in downtown Las retirement savings plan.q
year contracts could walk Khan said the agreements
out of properties including include language
the Tropicana, Treasure addressing the beneficiaries
Island, Golden Nugget, The of the Obama-era Deferred
D and Downtown Grand at Action for Childhood Arrivals
any time after authorizing a program and immigrants
strike last month. allowed to live and work in
"The agreements with the U.S. under temporary
MGM and Caesars protective status. The
have historic language Trump administration has
regarding immigration, sought to end DACA, but
technology and court orders have kept the
automation, and safety, program open. It also has
from sexual harassment announced it will terminate
language to safety the special protections of
buttons," said Bethany thousands of immigrants
Khan, spokeswoman for from several countries.
the Culinary Workers Union Under the tentative
Local 226. "We always agreements, workers who
have one standard for lose their work permit and
our contracts, and we are are later able to readjust
going to negotiate that their immigration status will
one standard with other be able to get back their
properties." casino jobs and seniority,
The largest labor Khan said.
organization in Nevada "We are pleased that all
has declined to provide economic and personal
details of the tentative security issues have