A new hospitality workers’ contract is in place at Caesars Entertainment properties in Las Vegas after it was overwhelmingly approved by rank-and-file union members on Monday.

Thousands of Culinary Union members turned out to vote on the five-year agreement. Balloting was completed by 8 p.m. Votes were counted on Monday night. The union revealed that 99% of those voting approved the new deal.

The agreement covers about 10K workers employed at Caesars. They include housekeepers, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, as well as laundry and kitchen workers.

Union leadership has described the agreement as the “best contract ever.”

When speaking to reporters before Monday’s vote by Caesars workers, Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, called the deal an “historic contract” with “record economics.” He revealed the contract has “significant raises” but has yet to release details.

He noted a few improvements included in the contract, such as on housekeeping. Properties will clean rooms daily unless guests place do not disturb signs on the door. In addition, there will be paid training for housekeepers and easier paths to advancement.

A third area of improvement relates to worker safety. This includes sexual harassment, sex assault or assaults.

Caesars a Great Partner

Negotiations with Caesars lasted seven months with the last session extending 20 hours. Pappageorge had praises for Caesars who he called a “great partner.”

We have to commend Caesars Entertainment for stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing on this contract,” he said.

Pappageorge also pointed out that workers were ready to strike if needed. “Our trucks we’re loaded. We had generators, picket signs, bull horns ready to go,” he said.

Workers at MGM Resorts International are scheduled to vote on their tentative contract on Tuesday. Wynn Resorts workers are scheduled to vote on their agreement on Wednesday.

The Culinary Union reached tentative agreements with the three large casino companies within days or hours of a threatened November 10 strike.

Some 35K Las Vegas hospitality workers had been working without a contract since September. About 95% of the workers previously authorized a strike.

More Negotiations Ahead

If contracts are ratified by MGM and Wynn workers, the Culinary Union’s next step is to negotiate with other Las Vegas properties.

Current contracts with workers at these other properties need to be renegotiated.

Pappageorge wants to see the same economic package that was reached for the three large companies be applied to contracts for other properties on the Las Vegas Strip.

With regard to Las Vegas downtown properties, the union is advocating for the same wage increases. Downtown properties traditionally have paid less to workers than hotels and casinos on the Strip.

On another worker front, Pappageorge confirmed there were problems for some workers commuting to their jobs during this past weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix due to the increased amount of traffic.

Across the country, in Detroit, workers at Hollywood Casino at Greektown and MotorCity Casino voted over the weekend to ratify a five-year contract, while those at MGM Grand Casino will remain on strike after their members voted to reject the proposed deal.

The Detroit strike began on October 17, when 3,700 employees at the three properties walked off the job.

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