LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – 40 hours into the 48-hour strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, the picket line outside the hotel stood strong Saturday evening.
“This is a two-day strike, and the idea is to send a powerful message to the companies that these workers are not second class, and they’re not going to settle for zeros,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
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Inside the hotel, some said it was less bustling than usual. A security guard told FOX5 this Saturday evening looked more like a Saturday morning on the casino floor, as some turned away in support of the striking workers.
“They are getting in cabs, and they’re going somewhere else to gamble, somewhere else to eat, somewhere else to go to shows. They’re leaving, and they’re telling us that,” said Pappageorge.
However, the signs and chants outside were not enough to deter some from crossing the picket line.
A family from Germany who visits the hotel regularly said it was slower inside than they remember, too.
“There’s always going to be some folks that go in, but we’re not too worried about that,” said Pappageorge. “We’ve got tremendous support from the workers for this strike, and whoever’s in there, whether it’s managers or temp agencies, whatever, they can’t provide the type of service these workers provide.”
Almost 700 food and hospitality workers walked off the job Friday, as the Culinary Union and Virgin Hotels have failed to reach a new contract deal for food and hospitality workers since the last contract expired almost a year ago.
It’s the last remaining Las Vegas hotel yet to reach an agreement with the union.
“At the end of the day, every company that we’ve dealt with did the right thing, including MGM, Caesars, Wynn Resorts last year, and 28 independent companies on February 5th of this year. All of them except this company,” said Pappageorge.
Virgin Hotels and union representatives are scheduled to meet again for negotiations on Tuesday.
“Are you going to do the right thing on Tuesday? That’s the real question,” said Pappageorge.
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