Las Vegas Strip hotel workers picket in solidarity with Virgin Hotels strike

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Hundreds of hospitality workers at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas stood strong on the picket line Saturday.

It was the second day of their strike — after the Culinary Union and Virgin Hotels failed to reach an agreement on a new 5-year contract for the workers, who say they need more pay.

On Saturday, hospitality workers from other Strip resorts joined the picket line in solidarity.

"We're supporting our brothers and sisters from the Virgin," said Maria Sanchez, who works at another Strip casino. "We want them to win their contract. We want them to get the fair contract they deserve."

Workers at Virgin Hotels have been without a contract for over a year, and want raises in a new 5-year contract.

READ MORE: Las Vegas union begins strike at Virgin Hotels after failed negotiations

"We negotiated with the company on Thursday, the company brought pennies to the table. 99% of the workers rejected that offer through a written petition to the company," said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer of Culinary Workers Union Local 226. "So, these workers are strong, and they're ready to fight until they get a great contract."

"We want to get the same contract that's on the Strip," said Roxana Sandoval, a line cook at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

"They do the same job as we do, they work as hard as we do, and they deserve to have the best contract," said Sanchez.

Meanwhile, temporary workers are filling in while some employees are on the picket line.

Virgin Hotels released this statement Saturday:

"We know the company has the money to sign the contract for us because right now, they have extra people working inside for $300 a day, when we do almost half," said Sandoval.

"It's funny that a company can't find money for their own workers but is willing to pay temp workers 300 bucks a day to clean rooms," said Pappageorge.

In response to Virgin Hotels' claim that many of the workers seeking temporary employment "had been laid off by other properties following their acceptance of the Culinary Union's economically unsustainable contract," Pappageorge said, "We haven't seen that. The economy's great, Vegas is doing great, we've got lots of events, and people are working."

"This company's going to be just fine. It's time for them to come to the table and settle a contract," he added.

This is the Culinary Union's first continuous picket in over 22 years.