|
Contract
talks to begin
By SHARON GERRIE
REVIEW-JOURNAL
March 28, 2001
The Transport Workers Union of America this week begins
negotiations with two of three casinos for a dealer labor
contract. Union organizers will meet with Aztar Corp.'s
Tropicana today and Carl Icahn's Stratosphere on Thursday to begin
what can be a long process of contract negotiation. A start
date for negotiations for the third casino, the New Frontier,
hasn't been set.
Tropicana spokeswoman Jessica Berg said management had no comment
on what it hoped to eventually accomplish at the negotiation
table. "We are going to the table in good faith and are
prepared to listen to what the other side has to say," Berg
said. "Beyond that, there are no plans we wish to comment
on."
When dealers at the Tropicana voted 112- to -51 for union
representation on January 23, management said, "We are
disappointed in the outcome of the election, but we respect the
dealers' decision. We will comply fully with our legal
obligations."
Frank Trotti, an organizer with the Transport Workers, said
although union contracts tend to be specific to the individual
bargaining unit, there are some frequently addressed issues. "Some
big things in contracts are the pay scale, grievance procedure,
job security and successor clauses," Trotti said. "We
don't want the Santa Fe to happen all over again."
Workers at the Santa Fe voted to join Culinary Local 226 in 1973,
but the property suffered years of labor unrest and the union and
management never negotiated a contract. Successor clauses
maintain union agreements with management when a property is sold
or placed under new management.
Berg said management would not comment on any specific agenda
items it planned to take to the bargaining table. Representatives
from the Stratosphere did not return calls asking for comment on
the negotiations.
Stratosphere dealers on Jan. 27 voted 116-to-48 for union
representation. Tim Grandfield, director of organization for
the Transport Workers, will represent the union during
negotiations. Corporate attorneys will represent management at the
Tropicana. Both sides pointed out the beginning of
negotiations does not automatically mean the dealers will end up
with a labor contract.
Negotiations must be in good faith, according to the National
Labor Relations Act, but sometimes the two sides can't come to
terms. Jeff Osborne, a Transport Workers organizer, said the
union has backup plans in the event of a stalemate.
Berg said the Tropicana was saddened by the election because
traditionally dealers have not been represented, the Transport
Workers are headquartered out of town and the union doesn't
understand the specific needs of dealers. Trotti called
Berg's statement cliché union-busting rhetoric.
This story is
located at:
http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-28-Wed-2001/business/15743890.html
(Back
to Index)
|
