Las Vegas convention workers ratify new collective bargaining agreement

The 1,500 members of Teamsters Local 631 have voted in favour of a new four-year deal.

US.- The 1,500 convention and trade show members of Teamsters Local 631 in Las Vegas have voted in favour of a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The deal includes the largest wage package for the industry in the history of the Teamsters.

Tommy Blitsch, secretary-treasurer of Local 631 and director of the Teamsters convention, trade show, and casino division, said: “Las Vegas is the number one convention and trade show destination in the world. Local 631 members make trade shows happen. Every show goes up on time, every time, and every show gets torn down on time, every time. We are the best. This contract rewards our members for the work they do.”

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the trade show and convention industry was the first to close and the last to open back up. Thirteen months later, around 40 per cent of the local’s members are not yet back to working the hours that they were prior to the pandemic.

Las Vegas visitors up 50% year-on-year in March

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) revealed that more than 3.33 million people visited Las Vegas, Nevada, in March. That’s an increase of nearly 50 per cent from 2.2 million in March 2021 and just 10 per cent below pre-pandemic numbers.

The strong visitor volume was largely due to the return of large conventions and shows. Exhibition attendance totalled 494,200, a rise of 1,500 per cent year-on-year. The market’s 150,692 hotel rooms were occupied at a rate of 80.6 per cent, up 25 per cent from 2021.

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