News

Article from: http://www.culinaryunion226.org/index.asp





Workers at the Cosmopolitan Casino have been in contract negotiations with owner, Deutsche Bank, for over two years. The parties have not come to an agreement on major issues that are central to contracts at other major casinos on the Strip. As a result, workers went out to the streets in an act of civil disobedience on March 20th. Specifically, workers engaged in non-violent action by blocking traffic lanes on the Las Vegas Strip. This was the first time in over 20 years that union members have conducted such a protest outside a union casino. The protest took place from 5-7 pm. Culinary 226 and Bartenders 165 union members were joined not only by clergy and UNITE HERE leaders from across the country but also by some visitors of Las Vegas.



Grisell Margarino, a Mandalay Bay housekeeper described how she felt about participating in the civil disobedience, "I've never done something like this, but I'm ready.” She is one of over 100 union members who will get arrested in a show of solidarity with workers at the Cosmopolitan. “Las Vegas is a union town, and workers are not going to back down, “said Margarino.



Contracts for workers on the Strip and downtown will expire on June 1, 2013. Union members from all Las Vegas will be at this week's demonstration. As it is, the delay for good contracts at the Cosmopolitan threatens the standard of living that has been established over decades of worker organizing. Negotiations with Caesars Entertainment and MGM will begin April 7, 2013.

Ron Gladstone, a 20 year union member who works as a cook at The D Las Vegas, will be taking part in this week's action. He said, "This is important not just for the workers at Cosmo, but for all workers in Las Vegas. We're going to do whatever it takes to make sure Las Vegas remains a town where people have the opportunity to provide for their families through good union jobs."



Culinary 226 and Bartenders 165 represent over 55,000 workers in the hospitality industry, including hotels, casinos, airports, food service, restaurants and laundry services in Las Vegas. In 1984, the Casinos' refusal to negotiate improved health insurance coverage led to a citywide strike of 10,000 union workers. While the Union prevailed in the strike and won better health coverage (the Culinary Health plan that union members have today) it was a wake-up call for members of Locals 226 and 165. Since the opening of Mirage in 1989 (the first of Las Vegas' "mega-resorts") Culinary 226 has organized more than 40,000 new workers. The 1990s were also a time of tough strikes as workers at the Horseshoe and Frontier Casinos successfully struck to protect the Union standard of living. The Frontier Strike was one of the longest in U.S. history--lasting over six years. All the 550 strikers victoriously returned to work in 1998 with seniority on the job and back pension service credits. The unions help ensure that Vegas service sector jobs are some of the best in the country.



More about the dispute:



http://storify.com/bethanykhan/civil-disobedience-at-the-cosmopolitan



TV: http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/21676419/union-workers-plan-to-block-las-vegas-strip-travel-lanes



TV: http://www.mynews3.com/mostpopular/story/Hundreds-of-union-members-block-traffic-on-Las/RBs5gwVz40Ogas-MIcxo0g.cspx



TV: http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/199270121.html



Vegas newspaper (VIDEO): http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/organized-labor/protest-blocks-las-vegas-strip



AP: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/03/20/us/ap-us-vegas-strip-protest.html?hp&_r=2&



Pictures: http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2013/mar/20/0320_culinary_cosmo_protest/



Pictures (by the union): https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.503075639748788.1073741834.322942117762142&type=3