Uncertainty looms over the plans for the Las Vegas Grand Prix as tens of thousands of hospitality workers in the city, comprising 35,000 members of the Culinary and Bartenders Union, are poised to go on strike this Friday. The industrial action hinges on reaching a deal with the 18 casinos, hotels, and restaurants employing them.
The union’s demands include what is described as “the largest wage increases ever negotiated” in its history. Currently earning approximately $26 (£21) per hour, workers await confirmation of the proposed scale of the pay rise. Additionally, hotel employees are advocating for enhanced job security amidst concerns about technological advancements, as well as increased safety measures such as additional safety buttons.
While negotiations persist, about 40,000 of the union’s 60,000 members are operating without renewed contracts, heightening the stakes for Friday’s planned strike—the first of its kind in Las Vegas for several decades and potentially the largest hospitality worker strike in US history.
The timing is particularly unfavorable for Formula One, as the next Grand Prix is scheduled for November 16 in Las Vegas. Preparations for the unique street circuit are already underway, expected to draw thousands of tourists to the city.
However, the Culinary Union urges race attendees to refrain from crossing picket lines and avoid hotels and casinos embroiled in the ongoing industrial dispute, which notably includes some of the largest establishments in Las Vegas.
Despite seven months of negotiations with major entities like MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts, the union has yet to reach an agreement that would avert the looming strike on Friday. Culinary Union secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge emphasizes the insufficiency of the corporations’ current proposal, asserting that workers deserve record contracts, especially in light of the companies’ substantial profits.
This year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix marks the third Formula One race in the USA, following events in Miami and Austin, Texas, reflecting the sport’s burgeoning popularity stateside. The upcoming Grand Prix in Las Vegas will be the city’s first since 1982.
