Culinary, MGM Grand reach agreement

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.

The Culinary Union has struck its latest labor contract with Las Vegas' largest resort.

The five-year contract covers about 3,800 workers at the MGM Grand resort, which is on a different contract schedule than the rest of the major Strip properties that negotiated contracts with the Culinary Union last summer.

The contract provides for a 65-cent increase in health care benefits per employee per hour in the first through third years of the contract. The last two years are tied to what was negotiated for other Strip hotels last year.

Under the contract, a select number of employees now have the option of enrolling in the Culinary Union's health insurance and pension plan. Previously, such employees were offered coverage through the company.

Also, the contract calls for the creation of a culinary apprenticeship program for cooks who want more specialized skills as well as beginners -- training that MGM MIRAGE has agreed to pay for.

Both MGM Grand and the Culinary Union declined to estimate what the contract was worth financially.

The contract officially expired Nov. 12 but the union and resort owner MGM MIRAGE extended the contract on a day-to-day basis as they hashed out particulars of the new deal, said Yvette Monet, an MGM MIRAGE spokeswoman.

Union workers ratified the contract based on an overwhelming 443-to-1 vote and negotiations weren't contentious, she said.

"We're very pleased that we've reached an agreement," she said.

The resort's last Culinary Union contract expired after three years.