Housekeepers to Ask Las Vegas Hotels for Panic Buttons

Housekeepers to Ask Las Vegas Hotels for Panic Buttons

Negotiations begin next month, and union leaders will also bring a request for panic buttons on behalf of the more than 14,000 housekeepers working on the Strip and in Vegas' downtown area. The goal of the wireless devices, which alert managers if workers are attacked, is to prevent sexual assault.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Jan 29, 2018

Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which represents tens of thousands of hotel workers in Las Vegas, will ask casino-resort operators to give every housekeeper a panic button as it begins negotiating new contracts. The request is similar to safety ordinances recently approved in other cities.

The contracts of 50,000 union members, including Las Vegas housekeepers, cooks, bartenders, and food and cocktail servers, expire at midnight May 31. Geoconda Arguello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the local, said the union will work with companies to protect existing benefits, increase wages, protect job security for workers as hotel-casinos increasingly adopt new technology, and strengthen language against sexual harassment.

Negotiations begin next month, and union leaders will also bring a request for panic buttons on behalf of the more than 14,000 housekeepers working on the Strip and in Vegas' downtown area. The goal of the wireless devices, which alert managers if workers are attacked, is to prevent sexual assault.  

"We want safety for all the workers," Argüello-Kline told The Associated Press. "We want to have some language in the contract to protect more the people who work inside the hotels. . . . We know what's going on with sexual harassment. No woman should have to go through that."

The union did not provide figures related to sexual assault situations housekeepers have faced in the past, but the request is in line with measures taken against assault in other cities. Housekeepers at unionized hotels in New York City have been carrying panic buttons since 2013, and the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance in October requiring hotels to provide panic buttons to workers if they work alone in guest rooms.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.