LAS VEGAS _ A labor union representing thousands of culinary workers in Las Vegas has voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike next month if casinos don't agree to a proposed five-year contract.
The vote among the 25,000-member Culinary Union was 99 percent in favor of allowing a strike the day after the current contract expires on May 31, officials said.
If the strike occurs, it would be the first citywide labor strike since 1984, according to union spokeswoman Bethany Khan.
She said the union is seeking more sexual harassment protections for workers in the wake of the #MeToo movement, a larger share of casino profits, more training as jobs continue to transition with technology and worker-safety protections that came to light after the mass shooting at a concert in October that killed 58 and injured hundreds.
Sexual harassment has become a focal point of reckoning in Las Vegas, however.
The city that eschews prudishness in marketing and has spent decades building its reputation as Sin City suddenly saw one of its icons, Steve Wynn, fall from grace earlier this year amid sexual misconduct charges by women who worked for him. Wynn is largely credited with innovating the current iteration of the Strip with glamorous resorts that began with the opening of the Mirage in 1989 and the Bellagio less than 10 years later.
Wynn's downfall also helped convince Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairwoman Becky Harris _ who is the first female to head that powerful agency and who took over the job days after Wynn's allegations were made public _ to begin workshops with casinos, workers and the public to work toward crafting sexual harassment policies that could be recommended for adoption by the Nevada Gaming Commission.
"We have heard instances of verbal and physical abuse by guests and high rollers against cocktail servers and bartenders," Kahn said. "We want language in the new contract regarding guests and high rollers that show zero tolerance for harassment so workers can do their work in dignity."
The union also sent a letter in support of Harris' plan.
A new contract would cover 50,000 workers at 34 casinos, including the two largest owners of properties on the Las Vegas Strip _ MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. Other properties that have contracts with the union include Golden Entertainment, which owns the Stratosphere, and Boyd Gaming, which owns several properties including the Orleans.
The Culinary Union expanded its ranks this year as well, with workers at Palms Casino voting to unionize last month. Palms is owned by Station Casinos.
"Caesars expects to reach an agreement with the Union on or about June 1 when the current contract expires," the company said in a statement.
Khan said the last citywide strike in 1984 lasted 67 days and the last strike authorization vote by the union was in 2002.
MGM Resorts released a statement after the strike authorization vote that expressed optimism about a resolution.
"A vote such as this is an expected part of the process," the statement read. "We are confident that we can resolve the outstanding contract issues and will come to an agreement that works for all sides. In fact, MGM Resorts and the Culinary and Bartenders Unions have scheduled talks for this week and next."
