Caesars workers OK new Vegas contract

LAS VEGAS — Housekeepers, bartenders and other unionized workers at Las Vegas casino-resorts operated by Caesars Entertainment approved a new fiveyear contract, ending the possibility of a strike at those properties.

A few thousand members of the Culinary Union voted in two sessions to ratify an agreement that addresses sexual harassment in the workplace, job security, wage increases and immigration status. The approved contract covers 12,000 workers on the Las Vegas Strip and a nearby property.

Employees of Caesars, one of the largest resort operators in the tourist destination, helped authorize a strike last month over the lack of progress in contract negotiations covering 50,000 union members. The union later reached a tentative deal with Caesars, followed the next day by a separate deal with MGM Resorts International, the other large hotel operator in the city.

The union has declined to provide specifics, but generally, both tentative agreements include wage increases and language that protects the workers’ rights in the event that the property is sold.

Some Caesars workers attended the first voting session during their work breaks. A cocktail server walked into the ballroom in her uniform — still carrying a tray — and other workers wore their white chef hats and coats. Others showed their support with red T-shirts.

“I attended the negotiations, and this is the best contract we’ve reached in the history of the union, especially for (guest room attendants),” Caesars Palace housekeeper Rocio Puente said Thursday. “I’m really happy. ”