FIRST OFF . . .

Las Vegas culinary workers, bartenders and stagehands who have been thrown out of work by the summerlong musicians strike are losing their sympathy for the issue and feel they are victims of a walkout that is not their fault. “The focus has been totally on the musicians,” said a cashier at Bally’s showroom. “There are other people out of work besides the musicians and they have families to feed.” Darkened showrooms have put about 300 union members out of work, in addition to the striking musicians. Other union members contend that last week’s “last and final” offer from the five struck hotels was a fair one, and musicians are now being unreasonable in their demands. The union leadership rejected the “final” offer, with Musicians Local 369 President Mark Tully Massagli calling it “garbage.” The contract was not put to a vote of the membership. The union and five hotels--the Las Vegas Hilton, Flamingo Hilton, Caesars Palace, Bally’s and the Tropicana--are at odds over use of taped music in production shows and the number of guaranteed weeks of work for musicians. A few entertainers have crossed picket lines to perform, but many stars have honored the musicians’ picket lines, causing showrooms to remain dark much of the time. Massagli says he is saddened “that any union worker is out of work,” but added, “We’re fighting for our lives here. It’s either live or die with this thing.”