Restaurant workers at Citizens Kitchen & Bar in MGM Resorts' Mandalay Bay casino voted overwhelmingly to join the Culinary Union, with 82% of approximately 130 employees supporting unionization. The December 5 vote was supervised by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The newly unionized workforce includes cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, and hosts. Cook Raymundo Lopez supported the union vote, citing the need for health insurance for his family, including his pregnant wife.

Citizens Kitchen & Bar, owned by SBE Entertainment Group, joins several other Las Vegas establishments that unionized in 2024, including:

• Eataly at Park MGM
• Brooklyn Bowl
• Gordon Ramsey Fish & Chips at the Linq Promenade
• Café Belle at Paris Casino
• Starbucks at the Flamingo Casino

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, emphasized the organization's commitment to securing fair wages, job security, and benefits for hospitality workers across the Las Vegas Strip.

In related news, the Culinary Union reached a tentative agreement with Fontainebleau Las Vegas after 18 hours of negotiation, potentially covering 3,300 workers pending member approval. Meanwhile, a strike continues at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas since November 15, with ongoing disputes over salary increases and working conditions.

These developments reflect a broader trend of hospitality worker organization in Las Vegas, as employees seek improved working conditions and benefits across the city's entertainment and dining establishments.

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