Las Vegas: Wynn Resorts workers approve new five-year contract, following suit of MGM and Caesars

Hospitality staff unions in Las Vegas announced on Wednesday that employees at Wynn Resorts have voted in favor of a new five-year contract, following similar moves by competitors Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International.

Representing approximately 5,000 workers at Wynn Resorts properties, the unions disclosed that an overwhelming 99% of members supported the newly negotiated agreement, Reuters reported. This development comes on the heels of union members at Caesars and MGM ratifying their respective contracts earlier in the week.

The agreement follows broader negotiations that the hospitality unions held for months with the "big three" Strip resort companies. The three casino companies reached tentative agreements with Culinary Workers Union Local 226 early this month, now all reaffirmed, ensuring labor peace in one of the nation's premier tourist destinations.

The recently approved contracts are poised to deliver increased wages for a total of 40,000 workers while averting the threat of a labor stoppage that could have had adverse effects on tourism in the city. The timing of the deals was a key factor in ensuring the smooth conduct of the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix race.

Total compensation for Culinary Union members employed at these casino properties is estimated to reach approximately $2 billion over the five-year contract, as stated by Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer at Culinary Union.

“The average Culinary Union member earns about $28 an hour (including their benefits) under the previous contract, and by the end of this new five-year contract, the average Culinary Union member will be earning about $37 an hour (including their benefits) and we recognize the largest private employers in Nevada for doing the right thing,” Pappageorge said this week.

Regarded as one of the most influential unions in the United States, Las Vegas unions declared that they have secured the most substantial wage hikes in their history. The negotiated terms include a 10% wage increase for every worker in the first year and a cumulative 32% raise throughout the duration of the new contract.

Concurrently, negotiations for a new five-year contract for 10,000 workers, encompassing cooks, bartenders, and housekeepers, are ongoing with 24 smaller casinos and resorts.

Las Vegas casino resort operators have been witnessing record profits amid a steady post-pandemic recovery.