STATEMENT by Geoconda Argüello-Kline regarding Station Casinos’ publicity stunt
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Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Geoconda Argüello-Kline regarding Station Casinos’ publicity stunt:
Station Casinos says it is organizing a manager and supervisor “protest” outside the Culinary Union this afternoon (on a Sunday at 4pm when the union is closed and no one is there) because the Culinary Union filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). After investigators reviewed those charges, the federal government issued a complaint alleging that Station Casinos violated the law. A trial on the complaint starts before an NLRB judge on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
The federal government alleges that Station Casinos acted through its managers, supervisors, and agents to violate the law by:
*Instructing employees to sign a decertification petition.
*Providing assistance to employees seeking to decertify the union.
*Promising benefits to employees if they got rid of the union.
*Threatening employees with reprisals if they continued to support the union.
*Withdrawing recognition from the union at Boulder Station and Palace Station based on a decertification petition that the company assisted.
All of this is illegal under decades of established federal labor law. The federal government also alleges that Station Casinos used the COVID-19 pandemic as a “scheme” to undermine the union through selectively recalling and reinstating workers.
The Culinary Union wouldn’t be surprised if some of the managers and supervisors who show up at this phony “protest” are the same ones who have been subpoenaed to testify at the trial.
Throughout the labor movement, a picket line is a public protest against injustices committed by a company and its managers and supervisors against workers. Here, it seems that Station Casinos is simply trying to bring public attention to the wide-ranging allegations of legal misconduct it faces. In our nearly nine decades of organizing, the Culinary Union has never seen company managers or supervisors picket - especially on their day off when it is 99 degrees outside. We hope that they stay hydrated and cool today.
Statements provided by Station Casinos workers:
“Why is the company doing this? It really doesn’t make sense. To see managers and supervisors picketing is hilarious, but I won’t be distracted. My coworkers and I voted to unionize October 2017 and we want a contract. We won’t stop fighting until we win one,” said Lori Homoki, a beverage server at Palace Station for 42 years.
“Station Casinos is getting desperate. They are going to trial next week and it seems like they are really mad things aren’t going their way. They should have done the right thing a long time ago and negotiated a contract by now. We voted to unionize September 2016 and Station Casinos has been fighting against us every step of the way - it’s just not right and I’m glad the federal government is holding them accountable,” said Rodrigo Solano, a cook at Boulder Station for 29 years.
Workers at 10 Station Casinos’ Las Vegas properties are fighting for a union contract: Boulder Station (September 2016)*, Palace Station (October 2017)*, Green Valley Ranch (November 2017)*, Palms (April 2018)*, Sunset Station (June 2019)*, Fiesta Rancho (June 2019)*, Fiesta Henderson (September 2019)*, Red Rock Resort (December 2019)*, Texas Station (April 2021)**, and Santa Fe (April 2021)**.
*NLRB union vote dates with victory or an NLRB bargaining order in response to unfair labor practices. **Pending NLRB complaint seeking an additional 10(j) bargaining order.
Station Casinos has said many times that they would respect their employees’ right to hold an NLRB election:
*“We have said all along that if a fair and lawful election is held we will abide by the results.” - Richard Haskins, president of Station Casinos (Las Vegas Review Journal – September 1, 2016)
*“We…support their right to join a union if they so choose as that decision is theirs, not ours, to make.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun - February 12, 2016).
*“We’ve always respected our employees’ right to join a union if that’s what they want to do.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun - January 20, 2016)
*“Station Casinos officials have said they are willing to allow a secret-ballot vote” (Las Vegas Review Journal - October 7, 2014)
*“The decision to join a union belongs to our team members, and we respect that right.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun – August 29, 2014)
*“We’ve made it really clear that the door is open for a secret-ballot election.” - Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Wall Street Journal – March 22, 2013)
*“Station saying a secret-ballot election is allowed and welcomed.” (Las Vegas Sun – January 22, 2012)
*“If the employees choose they wanna be in the union, then that’s their choice.” – Lorenzo Fertitta (Heavy MMA – September 2, 2011)
*“We have always recognized our team members’ right to be represented by a union if they so choose.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Review Journal – February 17, 2011)
Red Rock Resorts (NASDAQ: RRR) became the parent company of Station Casinos through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2016. The company is controlled by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, billionaire supporters of the former president, Donald Trump.
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ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest Latinx/Black/AAPI/immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership which is 55% women and 45% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, 12% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples.
Culinary Union members work as: Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting for working families in Nevada for 86 years.
