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Dealers
question working conditions following union vote
Saturday, April
28, 2001
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
By
SHARON GERRIE
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Monte Carlo dealer Ginger Sheahan feels much the same today as she
did more than four months ago -- underpaid and unappreciated.
"We
(the dealers) helped build this city. We worked with the
customers, got them coming back, made things fun. I make $6.37 an
hour and I'm 27 years in the business." said Sheahan, who
voted in favor of a union when the Monte Carlo's dealers held an
election in December. "After the union elections, I got a
75-cent-an-hour raise and a raise in the co-pay on my health
insurance at the same time. I actually lost money in that
deal."
Earlier
this week, dealers from more than a dozen casino properties met
informally with Transport Workers Union representatives who are
negotiating contracts for dealers at the three casino properties
where unions were authorized. Dealers at eight other properties
rejected the union, while one election was canceled before a vote
was held.
Many
of the dealers at the meeting said working conditions for dealers
have not improved since the elections despite management promises
to improve conditions for dealers if they rejected the union.
"They
(casino management) asked for a second chance to make things
better for us, but they aren't coming through on their
promises," said Clifton Williams, a Bellagio dealer.
Alan
Feldman, vice president of public affairs for MGM Mirage, Friday
rejects that claim.
"We
firmly reject the notion that nothing has happened for them since
the elections. It is just untrue. We have made a tremendous amount
of progress in a very short time," Feldman said, adding that
there will always be some employees that won't be happy without a
union.
Feldman
said some MGM Mirage properties have already seen new benefits and
perks and more are in the works. The MGM Mirage spokesman also
noted that changing policy in a corporation the size of the gaming
giant doesn't happen overnight.
He
said since the union elections, all the properties that had
elections have held dealer meetings. In some cases new uniforms
are being considered, dealer lounges are being remodeled,
scheduling is being re-evaluated and committees have been formed
to address ongoing concerns, he said.
After
the union was turned down by dealers at the MGM Mirage properties,
Bellagio dealer Gabriel Ruz said he and two other employees
approached Bill Bingham, vice president of gaming, and Mary
Kenneth, vice president of human resources at Bellagio.
"We
had four issues we wanted cleared up. Not any of the them were
resolved," Ruz said. "We wanted a raise. We wanted
flex-time like the MGM Grand dealers have. We wanted short-term
disability (insurance) covered by the company, like the MGM Grand
dealers have. And, we wanted the company contribution to the
401(k) raised from 15 percent to 18 percent.
"What
did we get? Nothing," he said.
Bingham's
office said he was on vacation until Monday and Kenneth did not
return calls on Friday.
Feldman
said benefits and compensation for all MGM Mirage properties are
not the same, although they are of similar quantity and quality,
depending on the needs at the individual properties.
"We
are not a one-size-fits-all corporation, so some things offered on
one property are tweaked and different at another. We do, however,
have a corporate transfer policy which will allow any employees to
transfer to another property to advance their careers,"
Feldman said.
Many
of the dealers at the three properties that did authorize a union
-- the New Frontier, Tropicana and the Stratosphere -- said they
are not faring much better than those at casinos that rejected
unionization.
"The
dealers are scared to death of management. They are treating us
terrible," said Karen Ball, a dealer at the Stratosphere.
Ball,
a blackjack dealer, said she is being told to deal more hands per
hour than the average.
Patricia
Reed, a Stratosphere dealer with 18 years experience, said she
fears the demerit point system at her property.
"If
you get 12 (demerit) points, you are fired. I got sick and was
hospitalized. All my supervisors knew about it, but I still got a
(demerit) point for abandoning my job," Reed said.
Jay
Roberts, vice president of human resources with the Stratosphere,
disputed there has been retaliation against employees involved in
the union vote.
"Because
we are in ongoing contract negotiations with the TWU, we have no
other comment at this time," Roberts said.
This
story is located at:
http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-28-Sat-2001/business/15969391.html
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