On strike: Hospitality workers walk off job at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Hospitality workers have walked off the job Friday and launched a 48-hour strike against Virgin Hotels Las Vegas after going nearly a year without a new contract.

Virgin Hotels workers with the Culinary and Bartenders unions made good on their announcement of a work stoppage from earlier this week, picketing the casino-resort early Friday morning.

The more than 700 striking workers come from housekeeping, food and beverage, and unionized restaurants on the property.

The two sides have been unable to agree to a new five-year contract after the previous collectively bargained agreement expired in June last year. Workers are seeking wage increases and greater on-the-job protections, similar to those in new contracts reached with other resort operators in recent months.

Union members voted to authorize a strike but have continued to work largely under the terms of the expired contract while negotiations continued. Culinary leaders said their patience has now worn out.

Virgin Hotels maintains that it has negotiated in good faith with the unions and invited them to mediation, but their invitation was declined.

"Based on our discussions and the Union's actions to date, we do not believe the Union is negotiating in good faith," the resort said in a statement issued this week. "For this reason, we have moved to take legal action and we have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board."

This is the first Culinary Union strike since 2002, when workers walked off the job at Golden Gate in downtown Las Vegas.

Union leaders say the strike will last until 5 a.m. Sunday, May 12.