Hundreds of workers have applied to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas to fill temporary replacement positions after some 700 hospitality workers went out on strike on Friday. But the union says replacement hires are scabs.

The hotel said in a recent statement it’s “grateful” to the hundreds of applicants who applied after other employees walked off the job.

Temps Are Skilled Workers

“Since last Friday, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has been diligently vetting and processing applications for temporary employment and contract work from hundreds of skilled individuals,” the company statement added.

Many of the applicants were Culinary Union members previously when they worked at other Las Vegas-area properties, according to the statement.

The Culinary Union’s allegations that the individuals seeking to work with us are dishonest, untrained, or otherwise not qualified to work at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are baseless and wrong,” the hotel statement added.

Members of the Culinary Union who went out on strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas were placed on strike leave. Management will not fire them.

We remain committed to protecting the well-being of all team members at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and hope that Culinary Union leaders can prioritize meaningful bargaining and their members’ best interests over maintaining bargaining leverage,” the hotel added in the statement.

Management wants rank and file workers to be able to vote on the recent offer from the hotel.

In addition, Virgin Hotels reached a tentative agreement with its 105 front desk, bell/valet, and call center workers. They are represented by the Teamsters union, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Management Offer Inadequate

But Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge recently claimed Virgin Hotels “put a few more pennies on the table” during a bargaining session held last Thursday.

They are seeking a five-year agreement with acceptable salary increases, as well as other improved benefits.

Hospitality workers have been working without a contract at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas since June 1, 2023.

Over the past year, the union was able to reach satisfactory agreements with many other properties on the Las Vegas Strip and elsewhere in Las Vegas. Strikes were threatened at many of these properties before tentative agreements were reached.

As the Virgin Hotels strike continues, the Culinary Union asks the public not to cross the picket line and has called the replacements “scab” workers.

The Virgin Hotels strike is continuing this week with no new bargaining sessions apparently scheduled.

Formula 1 Race

The strike also comes as the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place this weekend.

That’s expected to be a busy time for hotels in and around Las Vegas given the number of visitors who plan to attend the auto race.

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