LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Hundreds of hospitality workers at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas stood firm on the picket line Saturday.

It was the second day of the strike – after the culinary union and Virgin Hotels failed to reach agreement on a new 5-year contract for workers, who say they need higher pay.

On Saturday, hotel workers from other resorts in the Strip joined the picket line in a show of solidarity.

“We support our Virgo brothers and sisters,” said Maria Sanchez, who works at another Strip casino. “We want them to win their contract. We want them to get the fair contract they deserve.

Virgin hotel workers have been without a contract for over a year and want raises under a new 5-year contract.

700 workers walked off the job Friday morning after the union and company failed to reach an agreement.

LEARN MORE: Las Vegas union begins strike at Virgin hotels after negotiations fail

“We negotiated with the company on Thursday, the company brought a few cents to the table. 99% of workers rejected this offer by writing a petition to the company,” said Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of Culinary Workers Union Local 226. “So these workers are strong and they are ready to fight until they achieve victory. great contract. »

“We want to get the same deal as on the Strip,” said Roxana Sandoval, a line cook at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

“They do the same job as us, they work as hard as us and they deserve to have the best contract,” Sanchez said.

Meanwhile, temporary workers are taking over while some employees are on the picket line.

Virgin Hotels released this statement on Saturday:

“We know the company has the money to sign the contract for us because right now they have extra staff working inside for $300 a day, while we’re making close to the half,” Sandoval said.

“It’s funny that a company can’t find money for its own employees but is willing to pay $300 a day to temporary workers to clean rooms,” Pappageorge said.

In response to Virgin Hotels’ claim that many workers seeking temporary employment “had been made redundant by other establishments following their acceptance of the economically unviable Culinary Union contract”, Pappageorge said: ” We haven’t seen that. The economy is doing well, Vegas is doing well, we have a lot of events and people are working.

“This business will do just fine. It’s time for them to come to the table and conclude a contract,” he added.

This is the first continuous strike picket organized by the Culinary Union in more than 22 years.

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