LAS VEGAS, NV – Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 reached a new agreement with Palms Casino Resort on a new first-time three-year contract to protect workers with union healthcare benefits, provide fair wages, job security, and to respect the seniority for over 900 employees.
The new agreement, which protects approximately 900 employees, including guestroom attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, cooks, bartenders, and stewards, includes standard union language on worker security regarding subcontracting, safety buttons, sexual harassment, workload, technology, and immigration. A ratification vote by Palms workers was held and workers voted by a majority of 95 percent to accept the new three-year union contract.
“We celebrate this historic agreement with Palms, which protects workers with the best healthcare in Nevada, strong job security, and fair wage increases,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority and Palms Casino Resort have done the right thing by respecting their employees and recalling workers back to work with their seniority intact. The Culinary Union is proud to have reached an agreement for a strong union contract at Palms, which protects workers with the union standard we have fought to build and strengthen over 88 years. Congratulations to the workers on your new union contract and welcome to the union family.”
“I feel happy that we were able to get a contract at Palms for my coworkers and I after we voted to unionize five years ago,” said Lydia Martin, a banquet food server at Palms for 21 years. “As a day-one employee, I am getting older, and I have already invested 21 years into this company, so being able to win great health insurance and job security until I’m ready to retire is a relief. I am glad that the Culinary Union got the Right to Return law passed to grant us recall rights after the pandemic and that the company did the right thing for us workers. I’m so happy that we now have a contract and the protection it brings.”
“I joined brothers and sisters to win a strong union contract so that we could have a fair wages and great benefits,” said DeVon Fitzhugh, a cook at Palms for one year. “I’ve worked union jobs for the past 11 years and I’m proud to say that Palms is now unionized workplace. I’m thrilled that my coworkers and I have great healthcare benefits and job security. My wife and I are getting older and Culinary Union benefits are great. Our youngest son is still in college and, knowing he is covered by my health insurance, is one less thing we have to worry about. I’m happy to have a good union job where we can work one job instead of three.”
