LVCVA to start talks with union on plan for COVID vaccinations or testing

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority may join other public agencies in requiring its employees to be vaccinated for protection against COVID-19 or to be tested on a regular basis.

LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill, in brief remarks at Tuesday’s LVCVA board meeting, said his team will start negotiating with the Service Employees International Union Local 1107 similarly to the way other government entities have with their respective unions.

Hill said he hopes to develop consistency with other government agencies.

“This is a topic that is required to be bargained by state law for public entities, so we are working with the union, and they have been supportive and we appreciate their help and their input,” Hill said.

There are 217 union employees working for the LVCVA.

Representatives of the SEIU did not respond to telephone inquiries seeking comments on the proposal to require vaccinations or testing.

Hill’s remarks came before the LVCVA board of directors unanimously approved memoranda of understanding with the SEIU that expand recall rights for demoted or laid-off employees from 12 months to 18 months and add new titles, grades and seniority to bargaining unit classifications.

The SEIU requested that the recall rights of employees laid off because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic be extended by six months, for a total recall eligibility period of 18 months. The amendment to the collective bargaining agreement is a one-time, non-precedential modification to the agreement. The SEIU had already approved the memoranda.

During a public hearing on the proposal, no one addressed the board.

A vaccination or testing plan also would need to be negotiated and contracts modified if the proposal goes forward.

In other business, the LVCVA board authorized spending $270,000 on The Ice Agency for trade show booth construction at the IMEX America trade show Nov. 9-11 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

IMEX is an international show that will bring together travel buyers and meeting planners from the corporate, association and third-party markets. It’s an appointment-based show, guaranteeing quality appointments for suppliers.

IMEX 2019’s total attendance was 13,500 including 3,426 hosted buyers. Demand has been higher to attend this year’s show, though travel restrictions have been greater for many international destinations.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.