The Culinary Workers Union, representing tens of thousands of Las Vegas hospitality workers, announced on Wednesday that it had reached a tentative deal with Caesars Entertainment, a major casino giant. This breakthrough could potentially prevent an unprecedented strike at more than a dozen hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. After several months of tense negotiations, the union took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the news of the agreement towards a 5-year contract for approximately 10,000 workers. The agreement was reached after 20 straight hours of negotiations.

However, the threat of a strike is not completely eliminated, as deals still need to be reached by 5 a.m. on Friday with MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts. Nevertheless, the tentative agreement with Caesars provides the momentum needed for the Culinary Union to secure new 5-year contracts for all 35,000 of its members who have been working under expired contracts at 18 properties owned or operated by the casino companies. Negotiations with MGM Resorts were scheduled for Wednesday and Wynn Resorts on Thursday.

Caesars expressed its excitement in reaching an agreement that recognizes the contributions of its team members to the success of Las Vegas in recent years. The company promised meaningful wage increases and opportunities for growth, including plans to bring more union jobs to the Strip. A spokesperson for the union, Bethany Khan, stated that the terms of the deal with Caesars would be pending approval from the union's members before being made public.

The potential strike would significantly disrupt operations at some of the most recognizable Las Vegas hotel-casinos just as they prepare to host hundreds of thousands of people for the Formula 1 debut on the Strip. The racecourse for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix offers sweeping views of the casinos at risk of walkouts if deals are not struck with the union before Friday morning. Among the properties that could be impacted by a strike are the Bellagio, Paris Las Vegas, MGM Grand, Wynn and Encore resorts, as well as Aria, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York, and Park MGM owned by MGM Resorts International.

The Culinary Union is determined to strike as long as necessary to secure fair contracts for its members, including the housekeepers, bartenders, and cocktail servers who work behind the scenes and provide customer service in the mega-resorts that have made Las Vegas famous. Leslie Lilla, a cocktail server at the Bellagio, emphasized that the workers want to provide for their families and ensure benefits such as healthcare and pensions, as well as dignity in the workplace.

Negotiations between the union and the casino companies have been ongoing since April, covering various aspects such as pay, benefits, job security, and working conditions. However, tensions escalated in recent months after an overwhelming majority of union members voted in favor of authorizing a strike. This vote was followed by large-scale rallies on the Strip, including one that resulted in the arrests of 58 workers who sat in the street, bringing rush-hour traffic to a halt. The workers viewed this as a show of force ahead of a potential strike.

Tourists and ticket-holders for the Formula 1 races have been urged by the union's secretary-treasurer and chief contract negotiator, Ted Pappageorge, to support the workers by not crossing picket lines or visiting Las Vegas if a strike occurs. The Culinary Workers Union, with about 60,000 members statewide, has not gone on strike in decades, making this a significant development. A strike would align with other high-profile labor unrest actions across the country, including walkouts in Hollywood and contentious negotiations at UPS.

The union's deadline for a strike comes after unsuccessful negotiations with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts. The union has not disclosed the specific pay raises it is seeking but has stated that it is asking for the largest wage increases negotiated in its history. In addition to fair wages, hospitality workers are demanding improved job security in the face of technological advancements and stronger security measures, including more safety buttons on casino floors.

The Culinary Union emphasized that it has been patient throughout seven months of negotiations, which led to the large-scale rallies on the Strip. The union believes that this is a crucial time for the labor movement and that unions play a vital role in creating a middle class and ensuring a fair way of making a living for workers in various industries.