Joe Spica, 44, a bellman on the Las Vegas Strip and father of three, said lower hotel occupancy has reduced opportunities for bellmen, cocktail servers and valets.
Aaron Mahan, 52, who works at a to-go window at an off-Strip property, said his restaurant had cut its 24-hour service to breakfast and buffet hours because business could not support the previous schedule.
“Everything's costing more,” said Mahan. “I'm budgeting a lot more than I ever did before.”
Both Mahan and Spica are members of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which represents 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno.
Union official Ted Pappageorge said President Donald Trump's policy allowing workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips from federal income taxes offers limited relief, particularly for married couples who share the cap.
Workers said the policy has not offset falling tip income. The benefit comes through a tax deduction, so workers will not receive it until they file their taxes next year.