The leading casino union in Las Vegas plans to picket outside Station Casinos headquarters tomorrow to demand the locals-focused gaming giant negotiate with the trade group and allow workers to organize.
Station Casinos headquarters is seen with Red Rock Resort in the background. The Culinary Union plans to picket twice tomorrow, Jan. 19, outside the casino operator’s offices. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Culinary represents about 60,000 workers employed by Nevada casinos. Most casinos in the Las Vegas Valley and on the Strip are organized, with workers represented by the union.
Station Casinos is one of the biggest exceptions. Though the company does not operate a Strip casino, the locals gaming operator runs eight casinos in Las Vegas — and all remain Culinary-free.
Station Casinos is controlled by billionaire brothers Frank III and Lorenzo Fertitta, whose empire additionally involves Station’s publicly traded arm Red Rock Resorts. Staunch supporters of conservative politicians and Republican values, the Fertittas have successfully managed to keep their casinos unorganized.
Culinary has brought repeated lawsuits against Station/RRR on grounds that the companies have purposely interfered with organizing efforts. Tomorrow, Culinary will take its campaign to Station HQ adjacent to the group’s flagship property Red Rock Resort.
Culinary Rallies Troops
Culinary Union has two pickets planned for tomorrow outside Station Casinos headquarters. The first walk will take place from 10 am-11 am, and the second from 5 pm-6 pm.
The trade group says the purpose of the pickets is to push for a first-time union contract with Station Casinos and “demand an end to unfair labor practices.”
The union says ongoing negotiations with Station reps, deliberations ordered by federal courts, have been futile. Six Station Casinos properties have been ordered to begin good-faith negotiations: Boulder Station, Palace Station, Green Valley Ranch, Sunset Station, Santa Fe Station, and Red Rock Resort.
The union told Casino.org that Station has refused to give priority hiring to workers who were let go during the COVID-19 pandemic or terminated as a result of the company recently closing and demolishing Texas Station, Fiesta Henderson, and Fiesta Rancho. The union says Station has also snubbed proposals for the company to implement Culinary’s standard union job security package and has refused to enhance certain employee benefits.
Station Rejects Union Demands
Station Casinos is showing no signs of easing its union antagonism anytime soon. The company says it has routinely increased pay and benefits for its workers, with employees already receiving packages better than what the union has orchestrated elsewhere around town.
In its latest investor presentation, Station says it has just shy of 8,000 team members, with many working at the company for decades. The company says about one in three workers have been with the firm for at least 10 years.
In October, Station Casinos was designated as a “Top Workplace” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The second year in a row receiving the designation, the list is based solely on employee feedback aggregated by a third-party survey company.
Station Casinos workers gave their employer high marks for compensation and benefits, leadership, and training. Station last year was also certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work Institute.
The post Las Vegas Culinary Union to Picket Outside Station Casinos Headquarters appeared first on Casino.org.
