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International Union of Gaming Employees
P.O. Box 71961
Las Vegas, Nevada 89170
(702) 474-9766
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Fax:(702) 386-4821
April 28, 2008
Subject: AB 248
Senator Mark
Amodei, Chairman and members of the Nevada Senate
Judiciary Committee:
Please accept this
letter from International Union of Gaming Employees
and its members as a statement of support for AB 248.
In addition, we respectfully request that you read
this letter into the record on the day of the hearing.
It has been a
long-standing tradition for tip earners to keep their
tips and/or divide them among themselves. For 75
years this practice has proven to be a fair and
successful system. IUGE also has solid continuity
supporting this very tradition.
In 1971, Senator
Richard Bryan (then Assemblyman Bryan), Assemblymen
Mello, Hillbrecht, Branch and Schofield cosponsored AB
353 that became NRS 608.160. Since then, the courts
have watered down and distorted the intent of this
statute.
In 1995
Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley introduced AB 284. In
March of this year, Assemblyman Bob Beers introduced
AB 357 and now this April, Assemblyman Bernie Anderson
has introduced AB 248. We proudly and steadfastly
proclaimed our support for these Bills and today we
reaffirm our position and praise your action.
A single voice,
which significantly lacks reinforcement from its
like-kind industry counterparts, is forcing a policy
that is devastating to the health and welfare of our
many Nevada tip earners and our State’s economy.
We hope this
important Bill is not presented or viewed as a
partisan issue, nor a geographical or an industry
issue, but rather as essential legislation to protect
all hardworking Nevadans from future attempts
either by employer or court ruling to usurp tips.
In fact, tip
earners across America will eventually be affected.
Let Nevada lead the way and grant them the legitimacy
and respect they deserve by protecting their very
livelihood.
IUGE and its
members support our elected officials that look out
for Nevada’s workers. We hope that you will all
honor us by doing the same. Please vote yes for AB
248. Thank you very much.
Yours truly,
Tony Badillo, President
Jack Lipsman, Vice President |
