LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Famed sisters, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner were photographed at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on Friday while hotel workers were on strike outside of the property demanding a new contract.
Virgin Hotels shared a press release about the celebrity sighting at Kassi Beach Club. The sisters who are on the reality TV show “The Kardashians” made an appearance to promote their alcohol brands, 818 Tequila and Sprinter Vodka Soda. However, the celebration came as the Culinary Union asked the community and guests to support workers by not crossing the picket line during a 48-hour strike that started at 5 a.m. on Friday and ended Sunday morning.
“I think that’s unfortunate, and we’ll be sure to reach out to them,” Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer with Culinary Union Local 226, said.
It remains uncertain if the duo were aware of the strike, but Pappageorge said it’s not surprising if celebrities were on site.
“It was a big weekend in Las Vegas,” he said. “And again, when we know that there are celebrities out there that have relationships with these companies that are really not treating workers right, most of the time they want to know. And we have great success in reaching out to celebrities and influencers about not being on the wrong side of a dispute like this.”
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More than 700 workers with the union walked off the job at the off-Strip hotel-casino on Friday. The Culinary Union called the labor dispute an “economic strike” as workers, including guest room attendants, porters, bellman cooks, cocktail and food servers, fight for an increase in wages.
“In Las Vegas, you got to also invest in the workers, and every other company has agreed to do that except Virgin,” Pappageorge said. “So, they’re in a real bad position, and I think that talk is cheap, but let’s see what happens at the negotiating table. Hopefully, we’ll see something different.”
The contract between Virgin and the Culinary Union expired 11 months ago, and negotiations have failed over the last five months, according to the union.
Virgin Hotels filed a complaint last week with the National Labor Relations Board that accused the union of not negotiating in good faith. Pappageorge disagreed with the action.
Virgin and the Culinary Union are scheduled to meet again at the bargaining table on Tuesday.
