MGM Grand Workers In Las Vegas Approve Contract

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Workers at the MGM Grand hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip have approved a five-year contract and have agreed to defer raises for this year until June 1, 2010.

The agreement ratified Saturday covers nearly 2,500 workers from the Culinary union and bartenders union.

The unions agreed to defer the raises to help casinos cope with a bad economy that has battered tourism in Las Vegas.

The new contract calls for an annual cost-of-living raise. Workers will keep their family health insurance plan and not be required to pay premiums, and parent company MGM Mirage agreed to maintain company contributions to the employee pension fund.

___

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com