Blog•Apr 2, 2026
That Reagan-Era Time Las Vegas Crushed The Unions
On April 2, 1984, roughly 17,000 casino workers in Las Vegas walked off the job in the longest strike in the city’s history. The casinos, backed by aggressive union‑busting firms and police support, eventually forced the Culinary Union and other groups to accept contracts that introduced two‑tier wages and limited sympathy strikes. Hilton broke the industry cartel by settling independently, setting a precedent that other resorts followed. The strike concluded with a 26% wage increase over four years but left smaller unions weakened and many workers with reduced benefits.
