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Unfair-labor
charges leveled against casinos
By Trevor
Hayes
Review-Journal
The federal government is considering unfair-labor practice
charges leveled against three Strip casinos by a union trying to
organize casino dealers.
The Transport Workers Union of America Thursday filed three
charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging Caesars
Palace, MGM Grand and Harrah's Las Vegas threatened dealers to
dissuade them from supporting the union.
"They were having mandatory meetings and, at the
meetings, they were making threats with regard to taking away
benefits, which is in violation of the federal (National Labor
Relations) Act," said Transport union Director of Organizing
Timothy Grandfield, who filed the charges. "It's not against
the law to belong to a union in the year 2000."
National Labor Relations Board Las Vegas resident officer
Michael Chavez said investigations usually are completed in less
than 60 days.
Representatives from Harrah's and MGM declined comment,
saying they were not aware of the charges, but they also declined
to have copies sent to them by the Review-Journal.
Caesars President and Chief Operating Officer Dean Harrold
declined comment on the charges.
Harrold acknowledged having meetings with employees
"about two weeks ago" but did not elaborate on the
topics discussed. He also confirmed that Caesars recently gave
dealers a 4 percent raise.
Raises given during an organizing campaign can be in
violation of labor law.
"If they (employers) are aware of an organizing activity and
they give a benefit to undermine an organizing activity that would
be a violation of the law," Chavez said.
Grandfield said the union would not file charges about the
raises, but he said the small size of the raise may have motivated
some workers to seek out the union. "It's just an
insult to a lot of people," Grandfield said.
Chavez said it is hard to prove charges during a union
campaign because the union must show employers' intent to thwart
union organizing efforts.
But once a petition for election is filed, the law requires
working conditions and benefits remain unchanged to provide a
level playing ground, Chavez said.
Chavez said Friday that the union expects to file petitions
for union elections at between five and 10 unnamed casinos soon
after the Nov. 7 general election.
Last month the National Federation of Gaming Employees
filed charges alleging that the Paris Las Vegas implemented
unlawful rules to restrict the distribution and solicitation of
union literature.
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This story was
located at:
http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-28-Sat-2000/business/14704577.html
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