Culinary Union gearing up for 2007 contract renewal
While Nevada casinos statewide raked in an all-time record win of $1.14 billion in January, according to the state Gaming Control Board, labor unions already are licking their chops.
Case in point is the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, whose newspaper carries on the front page of its current issue the headline “Counting Down to ’07”—an allusion to the 2002 five-year contract renewal coming up next year.
“By bolstering the strike defense we will be better prepared and stronger, making a strike much less likely,” said The Culinary Worker, explaining that the per capita tax or dues Local 226 pays to its international union, Unite Here, will be raised substantially beginning this year.
Formerly at $12.30 per member per month, the dues payable to Unite Here will go to $13.95 in 2006, $15.25 in 2007, and $16.95 in 2008.
Still a big item on the Local 226 agenda is organizing the largest locals casino chain. “Station Casinos has hurt Downtown casino business badly and is growing dramatically, building bigger casinos that now compete with the Strip,” the newspaper said.
Following was a table linking the percentage of union workers with the 2003 housekeeper hourly wage. Laughlin, with 2% of workers unionized, paid guest room attendants $6.50; Reno at 11% paid $8.72 in average wage rates to housekeepers; Las Vegas at 64% unionized paid $11.35 hourly to maids.
