Most LV resort construction would continue despite a strike

The backers of mega-resort projects on the Las Vegas Strip apparently had foresight -- most say a work stoppage by carpenters wouldn't stop progress on their projects

While the Carpenters' Union says it won't strike when its contract expires at midnight tonight, three of the four mammoth Strip projects under construction say they had safeguards in place to protect them in the event of a strike.

Two days after members rejected a contract that would have given them a more than $5 per hour raise in wages and benefits over four years, union officials say members will stay on the job as long as both parties are at the bargaining table.

All but one of the major hotel-casino projects say work would continue for them in a strike, Mirage Resorts Inc. being the exception. Spokesman Alan Feldman said a work stoppage could hinder progress at the Bellagio.

"It is possible there could be an effect on the project," Feldman said.

However, other major projects on the Strip have work continuation agreements in place they say would keep completion of the hotel-casinos on track.

Venetian officials said Monday that representatives of Carpenters' Union Local 1977 have agreed to abide by a work continuation agreement signed before construction on the 3,036-room project began in April 1997. The resort is scheduled to open in April 1999.

"Such a safeguard ensures that this project will not be impacted by a strike or other forms of labor disharmony," Venetian President Bill Weidner said in a statement.

Should a new agreement be ratified, wages and benefits would be adjusted to coincide with the contract for the roughly 600 carpenters working on that project.

The same was true for Mandalay Bay, being built by Circus Circus Enterprises, which is scheduled to open in March 1999. Like the Venetian, that project also has a continuation agreement in place.

"We feel certain we won't have any issues at Mandalay Bay," Circus Circus Enterprises spokeswoman Sarah Ralston said Monday.

The Mandalay Bay project is currently using about 600 carpenters, but that number can fluctuate to as high as 1,500 at various stages of construction, Ralston said.

Hilton Hotels Corp. spokeswoman Kathy Shepard said work would continue at the Paris hotel-casino project in the event of a strike. The number of union carpenters there was not available.

The union has been negotiating with the United Builders and Contractors, the Nevada Contractors Association and the Associated General Contractors. Sunday's vote apparently left both union leadership and the contractors associations scrambling.

Marc Furman of the Southern California-Nevada Regional Council of Carpenters was in California Monday to meet with the union's regional leadership.

UBCA President Earl Parmer said he was "shocked" by Sunday's vote, but was hopeful a resolution could be reached.

"As long as we're still talking, there's hope," Parmer said.

The associations have agreed to make raises resulting from current negotiations retroactive to July 1 if an agreement is struck without a walkout.

The associations had better success with the laborers union, which approved a deal Thursday giving its 3,800 members a $4.90 raise in pay in benefits over the next four years.

Any stoppage isn't expected to effect the housing industry. Irene Porter, president of the Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association, said most labor carpenters are employed on commercial projects.

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