Civil Disobedience @ Virgin Las Vegas
Ahead of Labor Day weekend, approximately 23 Culinary Union members were arrested at the Virgin Las Vegas this evening in an act of non-violent civil disobedience as 700 hospitality workers continue pushing for a new 5-year union contract at the property. Virgin Las Vegas is in an active labor dispute with the Culinary and Bartenders Unions as the contract expired June 1, 2023. The labor demonstration began with picketing on Harmon Avenue in front of Virgin Las Vegas and then Culinary Union members, led by elected leaders of the Culinary Union, Ted Pappageorge (Secretary-Treasurer) and Diana Valles (President), sat down in the middle of the Virgin Las Vegas porte-cochère and participated in the civil disobedience. “We took negotiations to the streets this evening to send a clear message to Virgin Las Vegas that it’s time to do the right by their workers,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “The last Main Table negotiations with the company took place in early July, but unfortunately the company continues to stand by its proposal of $0 in raises for the first 3 years (of a 5-year contract). The company hasn’t offered more than zero in wage increases for the first 3 years of the contract since the first day of negotiations and it’s disappointing that we haven’t seen real movement. The contract expired 15 months ago and the Virgin Las Vegas’ proposal and treatment of their own workers who deserve a raise is unacceptable.” COMING TO LAS VEGAS AND PLANNING TO STAY AT VIRGIN LAS VEGAS? Ahead of Wespay Payments Symposium (September 11-13), 2024 USSSA National Conference (September 29-October 1), RISE Conference (October 21-23), Sin City F&F Halloween Ball (October 26), Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (November 21-23), Wrangler NFR Las Vegas 2024 (December 5-14), Las Vegas Bowl (December 27), AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (Jan 22-25), 2025 Academic Surgical Congress (February 11-13) and Exchange 2025 (March 23-26), the Culinary Union is asking locals, elected officials, political candidates, conferences/conventions, and tourists to support hospitality workers by not patronizing the Virgin Las Vegas, which is in an active labor dispute. MORE INFO: https://www.culinaryunion226.org/news/press/culinary-union-civil-disobedience-virgin-las-vegas-23-arrested-continue-push-for-union-contract