Major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized

For the first time in its 90-year history, the Culinary Workers Union, representing 60,000 members, has unionized every major casino on the Las Vegas Strip, transforming conditions for service laborers across Nevada.

After years of resistance and holdouts, hotels like the Venetian and Fontainebleau signed contracts late last year, transforming the labor landscape for tens of thousands of hospitality workers.

Under the new five-year agreements, union workers will see a 32% pay increase, reaching an average of $35 per hour with benefits by the end of the contract.

The labor win comes at a time when union strength nationally is at a historic low. According to Labor Department data, only 10% of US workers belonged to a union in 2024, down from 20% in 1983.

Still, the Culinary Union holds strong. It reports that 95% to 98% of workers at each casino opt into union membership.

Its organizing strength has even shaped labor negotiations with major casino corporations like MGM, Caesars and Wynn.

Several long-term members credit the union for delivering free family health care, steady raises, job security, and pensions—helping turn short-term hospitality jobs into lifelong careers.