Last updated on May 16th, 2025 at 05:50 pm
Casino employees in Las Vegas and Detroit accepted deals with casino operators to improve benefits and increase wages. On December 2, the Detroit Casino Council approved ratifying its contract with MGM Grand Detroit. Thus, the casino workers ended their 47-day strike.
Employees of MGM Grand Detroit are represented by the Detroit Casino Council, which advocates for nearly 4,000 workers across the city’s three casinos. Their ratification of a five-year contract on Saturday follows a recent agreement reached by unionized workers at the other two casinos after a strike lasting approximately one month.
Penn Entertainment employs 3,700 people in MGM Grand, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown; on November 17th, the Detroit Casino Council came to a tentative deal for a new contract involving these employees.
The contract with MGM includes the most significant wage increase ever negotiated for casino workers. It does not increase their health care costs, reduces workloads, and offers other job protections. In addition, it included the technology contract language and more retirement benefits.
Casino Employees in Las Vegas and Detroit Signed New Deals
According to sports betting news reports, casino workers ratified union contracts in Las Vegas on November 22. The agreements will apply to MGM, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts workers. Also, workers will receive higher wages to prevent the threat of a labor stoppage against the casino operators.
The Culinary Union won $2 billion in total compensation over a five-year contract, says Ted Pappageorge, its secretary-treasurer. The union secured record wage hikes with a 10% increase in the first year and a total of 32% over the life of the new contract.
According to casino news source, nontipped workers at the largest Las Vegas gaming companies will earn over $9 an hour more throughout the new deals than they make now. Pay increase retroactive to June 1 for MGM and Caesars deals, resulting in a significant raise in the first year. For Wynn Resorts, it was in August. Nontipped workers get $3 more per hour, while tipped employees receive $1.50 more.
During the pandemic, Casino Employees in Las Vegas and Detroit made numerous sacrifices; however, we persevered and successfully obtained a contract that guarantees our healthcare and offers substantially enhanced wages,” stated Gabriel Robert Hernandez, a valet at MGM Grand Detroit and a member of Teamsters Local 1038, in a statement released on Saturday.
MGM executives indicated that this decision will allow for the resumption of normal operations.
“We are thrilled to welcome our team back and to continue delivering the entertainment experiences that MGM Grand Detroit is renowned for,” remarked Matt Buckley, President and COO of the Midwest Group at MGM Resorts International, in a statement issued on Saturday.
An Important Year for Unions
The union is anticipated to grant approval for its proposed agreements with Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International, the largest employer on the Strip, later this week. These significant agreements were provisionally established earlier this month, just hours before the union threatened a large-scale walkout at 18 hotel-casinos on the Strip, including Bellagio, Paris Las Vegas, MGM Grand, and Caesars Palace.
In a statement, Ted Pappageorge, the chief negotiator for the union, indicated that the workers were prepared to accept a pay reduction had the union proceeded with a strike. He noted that they dedicated their personal time over seven months of negotiations to achieve historic pay increases and other substantial victories, such as reductions in housekeeping workloads and enhanced job security in light of technological advancements.
“Nothing was assured or guaranteed, and thousands of workers who engaged in rallies, protests, civil disobedience, picketing, surveys, creating picket signs, voting on strikes, and delegations within the properties made sacrifices to secure a better future for themselves and their families,” stated Pappageorge, a former union hospitality worker who participated in a strike in 1991 alongside 500 other employees at the now-closed New Frontier Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas.
This strike became one of the longest in U.S. history, lasting over six years. The union reported that all strikers returned to their positions afterward, receiving back pay and benefits.