Detroit MGM Grand workers strike finally ends
Hotel workers at the MGM Grand in Detroit agreed to a new contract over the weekend, ending a 47-day strike.
Union workers voted in favor of the new deal on Saturday and called for an immediate end to the shutdown.
The new contract covers approximately 1,700 Detroit Casino Council (DCC) union employees. When negotiations began, the DCC promised historic pay increases for workers.
According to DCC, the new contract will give employees an average salary increase of 18% in the first year. Employees will receive an immediate raise of $3 an hour and a total of $5 an hour over the course of the five-year contract.
Workloads have also decreased, health care has not increased, and automation and other technological advances have protected jobs.
Gabriel Robert Hernandez, a waiter at the MGM Grand in Detroit, said in a union statement: "We made many sacrifices during the epidemic, but we fought for and ultimately won. A contract that protects our health care and provides higher wages.”
The agreement applies to casino dealers, cleaning staff, engineers, catering workers and valets.
MGM lot workers reject temporary temporary contracts. It's unclear what changes have occurred to the terms of the two contracts. Some workers reportedly complained that they did not want to make hasty decisions on employment contracts.
Victory of the Alliance
Workers at the MGM Grand are the latest group of casino union workers in the city to reach a deal with management. About two weeks ago, about 2,100 union hotel workers at Detroit's Motor City Casino and Hollywood Casino in Greektown agreed to new contracts, ending a 34-day strike.
Workers at the three facilities received the largest wage increases negotiated in Detroit casino history, according to DCC data.
Alicia Weaver, a steward at the MGM Grand in Detroit, added in a statement: "We made history, and I'm proud of what we accomplished by coming together."
Management is also pleased that the strike has ended and the workers have agreed to the contract.
We are pleased that employees represented by the DCC voted tonight to approve a 64-month contract and end the strike so that we can immediately resume full normal operations at the MGM Grand in Detroit. " MGM Resorts International Midwest Group said in a statement.
The strike began on the 17th. October at three casinos. The shutdown resulted in reduced services and lower sales.
The DCC includes Unite Here Local 24, UAW Local 7777, Teamsters Local 1038, Operating Engineers Local 324 and the Michigan Area Carpenters Council.
Las Vegas Union Negotiations
The union representing Las Vegas hotel workers last month averted a strike at casinos owned by three major casino companies: Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts.
Other Las Vegas casinos still need to reach agreements with union workers in the coming months. They are represented by the Culinary Alliance.
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Source: www.casino.org
