50K Las Vegas casino workers to take strike vote

LAS VEGAS — Fifty-thousand unionized Las Vegas casino workers whose contracts will expire at the end of the month are set to vote on whether to go on strike.

The Culinary Union on Wednesday said it will hold a strike vote May 22 at a university arena.

The workers’ existing contracts will expire at midnight May 31. Negotiations for new five-year contracts began in February.

A majority of yes votes would allow the union’s negotiators to call for a strike at any time starting June 1.

A strike would empty 34 casino-hotels of cooks, food and cocktail servers, housekeepers and other workers.

Properties operated by MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment would be among those affected by a strike. The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.