Key facts
- Nevada Teamsters union represents 30,000 workers in construction, transportation, and hospitality.
- AI and automation could put up to 92,000 Southern Nevada hospitality jobs at risk by 2035.
- MGM Resorts laid off 200 call-center workers last year due to AI automation.
- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford proposes halting new data-center tax abatements and regulating AI job impacts.
- Union members accounted for about 13% of wage and salary workers in Nevada in 2025.
Nevada's powerful Teamsters union is navigating a complex landscape where AI development presents both job creation and destruction. While thousands of construction jobs are being generated by the rapid expansion of data centers in the state, AI-powered automation is simultaneously displacing workers in sectors like hospitality and transportation in Las Vegas.
The union, representing 30,000 workers, is seeking a unified stance ahead of elections, balancing the immediate benefits of construction work against concerns about long-term job security. Some members advocate for halting or slowing data-center construction, while others see the boom as a vital economic opportunity.
This internal debate mirrors a national discussion on regulating AI development amid conflicting projections about its impact on the workforce. The union's political director, Ross Kinson, stated that candidates supporting strong worker protections and regulation of AI's impact on jobs are more likely to receive the union's backing.