Culinary ratifies Golden Nugget contract, but strike threat downtown persists

By Bethany Barnes

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 | 10:43 p.m.

The Culinary Union ratified a contract with the Golden Nugget today but continues to threaten strikes if other downtown casinos don’t follow suit.

It’s the first contract the union has finalized with a downtown property since contracts expired in June 2013.

The contract with the Golden Nugget is for five years, according to Culinary Union spokeswoman Bethany Khan. It’s a retroactive contract that begins when the previous contract ended in June 2013, Khan said.

Khan said the union has been picketing the nine downtown properties that have yet to reach an agreement with the union. Khan said some negotiations are further along than others.

“We are preparing to go on strike,” Khan said. “We have taken drastic steps"

The downtown casinos involved in the negotiations are the D, Four Queens, Las Vegas Club, Plaza, Fremont, Golden Gate, Binion's, Main Street Station and El Cortez.