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U.S. NEWS Thursday 31 May 2018

Union: Strike would cost top Vegas casinos over $10M a day

By REGINA GARCIA CANO less experienced and less
Associated Press skilled replacements ... to
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The two keep the doors open, rooms
largest resort operators in cleaned, food cooked,
Las Vegas would lose more and cocktails served, not
than $10 million a day to mention other factors
combined if housekeepers, such as the disruptions to
cooks and others go management staff's regular
on strike, a possibility work," the union wrote.
starting Friday, the union Using the companies'
representing thousands earnings reports for the first
of casino workers said three months of the year,
Wednesday. the union's estimates show
The Culinary Union detailed a one-month strike could
how it thinks a one-month reduce MGM's earnings
strike would impact MGM before interest, taxes and
Resorts International and other items by more than
Caesars Entertainment, $206 million and Caesars'
which operate more than by over $113 million.
half the properties that Contracts expire at
would be affected if 50,000 midnight Thursday for
workers walk off the job. bartenders, housekeepers,
Workers last week voted cocktail and food servers,
to authorize a strike as porters, bellmen, cooks
disputes over workplace and other kitchen workers
training, wages and other at properties on the Las
issues have kept the union Vegas Strip and downtown
and casino operators from Las Vegas, including
agreeing on new contracts. Caesars Palace, Bellagio,
The union conceded that it Stratosphere, Treasure
is difficult to estimate how Island, The D and El Cortez. In this March 20, 2013, file photo, Culinary Union workers demonstrate along Las Vegas Boulevard
the strike at more than 30 Dealers are not part of the outside the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino while protesting their contract negotiations with
casino-hotels would affect Culinary Union. Casino- Deutsche Bank in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas overall because resorts that would not Associated Press
the last citywide strike took be affected by the strike
place in 1984, when the include Wynn Las Vegas, expires." About 12,000 of guest runner at Caesars Caesars workers are asking
city had 90,000 fewer hotel Encore, The Venetian and its workers are part of the Palace. for an increase of 4.2
rooms and only about 12.8 Palazzo. negotiations for new five- "I think they are going percent effective Friday,
million annual visitors. Last MGM, which employees year contracts. to be disappearing it, and annual increases of
year, more than 42.2 million 24,000 of the workers, said it The union said it is asking because robots are going about 4 percent thereafter.
people visited. met with union negotiators for training on new skills to be available to deliver Another document shows
But it says MGM and Monday and has more talks and job opportunities as everything." the company has offered
Caesars would see a scheduled this week. The the companies adopt He said he wants training an approximate 2.8
10 percent reduction in company says it remains technology that can to fix or program the robots percent increase for each
revenue because of the loss confident that it "can displace workers. It also that he believes could of the five years.
of group and independent resolve the outstanding wants an independent eventually replace him. The average hourly wage
travelers. A strike also could contract issues and come study to analyze the The union says it has asked of union workers is $23,
happen as fans head to to an agreement that workload of housekeepers MGM for average annual including benefits such
Las Vegas for the Stanley works for all sides." and contract language wage increases of 4 as premium-free health
Cup Final. Caesars said it "expects that would protect workers percent for each of the five care, a pension and a
"Furthermore, one might to agree to a new 5-year if properties are sold. years. A document says the 401(k) retirement savings
assume a 10 percent contract with the Culinary "What is going to happen company has countered plan and $25,000 down-
worsening of operating Union on or about June 1 to my position?" said with an approximate 2.7 payment assistance for
margins due to the use of when the current contract Fernando Fernandez, a percent increase. first-time homebuyers.q