LAS VEGAS — A strike involving hundreds of hospitality workers at a casino located near the Las Vegas Strip has entered its second day, with union members prepared to endure financial difficulties as they seek a new labor contract. The work stoppage, which began on Friday at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, marks the first indefinite strike undertaken by the Culinary Workers Union in the past 22 years. This union, one of the largest in Nevada with a membership of around 60,000, saw its members return to the picket lines on Saturday.

Earlier this year, these workers had participated in a 48-hour walkout aimed at intensifying negotiations, hoping to persuade Virgin Hotels to finalize a new five-year agreement that would include increased wages and improved benefits. This recent strike takes place one year after the Las Vegas Strip narrowly averted a massive labor action by hospitality staff during the city’s inaugural Formula One race, with last-minute agreements reached just prior to the union’s strike deadline. Those agreements granted workers a significant pay increase of approximately 32% over the life of their new contracts, including an immediate raise of 10% in the first year.

Following the successful negotiations last November, the Culinary Union quickly facilitated similar contracts for its members at major hotels and casinos across the Strip, downtown, and at off-Strip locations—except for Virgin Hotels. The contracts covering properties on the Strip alone affect more than 40,000 hospitality workers.

While the union provides striking workers with $500 each week for their picking duties for a minimum of five days, members participating in the strike expressed that they are bracing for financial hardships during their time away from work. Lee McNamara, a lead dining room cook, noted that he took on a second job for about eight months prior to the strike in order to save money.

“A strike is challenging for everyone, but we felt it was our last option,” McNamara explained. “We had no other choice. The company wasn’t moving, and they weren’t receptive to our needs, remaining largely unyielding.” Diana Monjaraz, employed in housekeeping, is also anticipating difficult times ahead until a new contract is secured. “Sometimes you have to go through hardship to achieve victory,” Monjaraz remarked. “Things don’t always come easily.”

Both the Culinary Union and Virgin Hotels reported a lack of progress in negotiations, primarily stemming from contention over wages. “Workers have overwhelmingly supported a robust Culinary Union contract that provides protective benefits,” stated Bethany Khan, a union spokesperson. “The presence of hundreds of workers on the picket line reflects their commitment to securing these protections.” In response, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas asserted its dedication to safeguarding worker employment while ensuring the property continues to operate. They also accused the union of negotiating in bad faith by consistently refusing to engage in substantial negotiations.

The last time the Culinary Union was involved in a strike was in 2002, when union members protested for ten days at the Golden Gate hotel-casino located in downtown Las Vegas.