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On Wednesday, a crowd of Culinary Workers Local 226 Union blocked traffic on the Las Vegas Strip for about an hour in protest of the Cosmopolitan casino resort, ending in almost 100 arrests. The demonstration was in response to two years of work without a contract. Negotiations have been ongoing with Cosmopolitan owner, Deutsche Bank, for two years. This is another example in a series of protests, but "the first time union members deployed civil disobedience, the tactical use of nonviolent law breaking, outside a unionized casino in more than two decades," according to union spokeswoman Yvanna Cancela.
For about an hour, the Las Vegas Strip in front of the Cosmopolitan resort was full of demonstrators, picketers, and chants.
"Cosmopolitan look around. Las Vegas is a Union town."
"No justice, no peace."
These words echoed loudly around the resort as rush hour traffic was shut down on the block home to the Bellagio, Aria and Planet Hollywood casinos. Some tourists were booed when they crossed the line, but others cheered on the protest and even joined in.
Culinary Union workers in Vegas receive free health care and above average wages. Clearly an ideal situation. Australian tourist James Lewis reflected on the protest, saying, "I was surprised because I didn't know this was an issue here. I come from a place where health care is free, so this is something completely foreign."
At the end of the day, there were nearly 2,000 picketers surrounding the demonstrators. 98 protesters were arrested and escorted into police vans for blocking the Las Vegas Strip traffic for an hour. Perhaps this will send a message to Deutsche Bank, who is rumored to be selling the Cosmopolitan and most likely does not want to deal with Union contracts.
Check out a video of the protest right here:
