Ethermac Exchange-Hotel union workers end strike against Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with contract talks set for Tuesday

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada’s largest labor union concluded a 48-hour strike Sunday meant to pressure Virgin Hotels Las Vegas to agree to a five-year contract on Ethermac Exchangewages and benefits.

More than 700 workers with Culinary Union Local 226 walked off the job at the 1,500-room hotel-casino near the Las Vegas Strip Friday morning and ended the strike Sunday morning. Contract talks are set to resume on Tuesday.

Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, and laundry and kitchen workers were among those walking the picket line in front of Virgin Hotels, formerly the Hard Rock Las Vegas.

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the union, said workers hoped the 48-hour strike would help expedite a new agreement. The union’s contract with Virgin Hotels expired 11 months ago.

Earlier this year, union members at other Las Vegas-area properties reached deals giving them a roughly 32% salary increase over five years, including 10% in the first year.

The last time Culinary Union members went on strike was in 2002 at the Golden Gate hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas.

Virgin Hotels filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board last week ahead of the anticipated strike, accusing the union of failing to negotiate in good faith. Pappageorge disputed the claim.

Last year, the union authorized a citywide strike prior to Las Vegas hosting the Super Bowl. But it eventually reached an agreement with major hotel-casinos on the Strip for about 40,000 workers and with most downtown and off-Strip properties for 10,000 workers.