LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Thousands of union workers remained in limbo as of Thursday night, as a deal is yet to be reached with Wynn Resorts ahead of Friday’s strike deadline.
Representatives from the Culinary Union and Bartenders Union spoke Thursday evening, stating they were moving in the ‘right direction’ with negotiations, but they had not yet reached an agreement.
“This has been a long road,” Wynn and Encore gourmet server Chelsea MacDougall said of negotiations. “We’re hopeful, and I feel like this company is ready to give us this deal and we can get back to work.”
Time is still ticking, with the threat of a strike looming, as union representatives push for a final contract deal for approximately 5,000 Wynn Resorts employees.
Tentative deals were struck with MGM Resorts and Caesars International this week. Union representatives told 8 News Now the proposed contracts provide significant pay increases, safety improvements, and better job security with technology advancements in the field.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed here and we are pushing very hard,” Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for The Culinary Union said of Wynn Resorts negotiations. “But, we have a lot of work to do here at Wynn.”
While speaking to media Thursday, Pappageorge called a strike a ‘worst case scenario,’ but said it will happen if the right agreement isn’t reached by Friday’s deadline.
“To be clear, our goal is to get a great contract,” he said. “But workers have said if we can’t, they are prepared to strike.”
“This is a difficult decision,” Pappageorge added of a potential strike. “But at the end of the day, companies are doing incredibly well and workers simply want their fair share.”
A ‘fair share’ employees like MacDougall said they have fought hard to get, as they hope to see some light at the end of the tunnel with negotiations.
“We want this to come to a fantastic conclusion,” she concluded.
8 News Now reached out to Wynn Resorts Thursday afternoon regarding contract negotiations. The company said it has had productive bargaining sessions and is working to reach an agreement.
