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Monday, September 04,
2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
EDITORIAL:
Organizing workers
Is a
major union about to try?
D. Taylor,
staff director for the Culinary union, professes surprise at
rumors that someone may attempt to organize casino dealers.
"No one has contacted us, which is a little peculiar since we
are the largest union representing casino workers," he said.
But Mr. Taylor freely admits that his organization has no
interest in taking in the dealers. "We don't really
understand that trade and, candidly, we have enough on our plate
organizing workers in nonunion" hotels, he said.
What balderdash. In reality, the Culinary union doesn't
want to upset its cozy relationship with the major Strip hotels.
The casinos have no interest in seeing their dealers become
unionized -- and the Culinary is content to ignore the issue as
long as it benefits handsomely from its symbiotic arrangement with
the big gamers.
That, of course, opens the door for others. And last month
the Transport Workers Union of America met with representatives of
the National Federation of Gaming Employees, a group informally
representing local dealers.
Other major unions -- including the Teamsters and
Steelworkers -- have considered organizing dealers, but eventually
passed. It's a testament to the gaming industry's clout that it's
been almost 20 years since anybody has made a true effort to
unionize dealers.
The odds the Transport union will make inroads here are
slim, and that's good -- a move to organize dealers could disrupt
the local economy. But if the effort gains steam, the Transport
union could create some uncomfortable predicaments for both the
Culinary and the industry alike.
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