Casino workers in Detroit ratify deal to end 47-day strike

DETROIT—Casino workers for MGM Grand Detroit have voted to ratify a new contract, ending a 47-day strike.

MGM Grand Detroit workers are union members of the Detroit Casino Council, which represents nearly 4,000 employees of the city’s three casinos. Their approval Saturday on a five-year agreement comes weeks after unionized workers reached an agreement with other two casinos following a roughly one-month strike.

Workers at MGM Grand Detroit, Hollywood Casino at Greektown and MotorCity Casino walked off the job Oct. 17 over issues including health care and wages that had not kept up with the cost of living.

The new agreement, which covers about 1,700 employees, includes an average immediate 18% pay raise, workload reductions and no health care costs increases for employees, according to the council. The union workers include dealers, cleaning staff and valets.

“We sacrificed a lot during the pandemic, but we fought for and ultimately won a contract that secures our health care and provides significantly improved wages,” Gabriel Robert Hernandez, a valet at MGM Grand Detroit and Teamsters Local 1038 member, said in a Saturday statement.

MGM executives said the move means normal operations will resume.

“We’re excited to welcome our team back and continue providing our guests the entertainment experiences for which MGM Grand Detroit is known,” Matt Buckley, President and COO of Midwest Group, MGM Resorts International, said in a Saturday statement.

READ MORE: Detroit casino union member: ‘Workers deserve more money’