Two downtown Boyd casinos reach deal with Culinary, Bartender unions

LAS VEGAS -- Two downtown Las Vegas casinos operated by Boyd Gaming Corporation reached tentative contract agreements with two unions, leaving seven properties unsettled and targets for a potential strike starting Sunday morning.

Culinary Workers Local 226 and Bartenders Local 165 said Tuesday it reached agreements on new five-year contracts covering non-gaming workers at the Fremont Hotel & Casino and Main Street Station Casino Brewery and Hotel, which are are owned by Boyd Gaming. The agreements still need to be ratified.

Culinary officials said the contract agreement is similar to an agreement reached earlier this month with the Golden Nugget.

The settlements leave seven properties without new agreements — The D, Four Queens, Binion’s, Plaza, Las Vegas Club, El Cortez and Golden Gate. Restaurant workers, hotel housekeepers, cocktail servers, bartenders, and other members of the unions plan to walk off their jobs at 5 a.m. Sunday unless new agreements are reached.

Culinary Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Arguello-Kline said in a statement that talks will continue this week with the unsettled hotel-casinos.

“Boyd has shown that they respect their employees and are invested in their workforce,” she said. “We hope that the other downtown casinos follow the example of Boyd and Golden Nugget as we negotiate with them over the next couple of days.”