MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
Friday, February 4th, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Hospitality workers to picket for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began at Palace Station as Station Casinos workers continue to fight for a contract
BROLL FOR MEDIA HERE: https://unitehere.box.com/s/aru7h7uy5dl3bbo9bxlfta6rt2o8eqo4
Las Vegas, NV - Hundreds of hospitality workers to picket for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in front of Palace Station, as Station Casinos workers continue to fight for a first-time union contract.
WHO:
*Ted Pappageorge, President of Culinary Union
*Diana Valles, Organizing Director for the Culinary Union
*Susie Martinez, Nevada State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer
*Station Casinos workers
*Culinary Union members
*Community supporters
WHAT: Hundreds to picket at Palace Station - NOTE FOR MEDIA: This a picket, not a strike.
WHEN: Friday, February 4th, 2022 from 5-7pm, speaking program around 6pm.
WHERE: Palace Station (2411 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102)
WHY: Throughout the labor movement, a picket line is a public protest against injustices committed by a company and its managers/supervisors against workers.
Palace Station: Workers at Palace Station participated in a NLRB election October 2016 at the property. Palace later recognized the union amid complaints filed by the Culinary Union of illegal behavior and conduct committed by the company and its managers in attempt to sway the democratic union election. Since then, Culinary Union alleges Palace Station illegally interfered with and unlawfully withdrew recognition from the union in 2020 without the workers having an election and voting to do so. Station Casinos is currently on trial as the federal government is prosecuting a civil case against the company before the NLRB. The NLRB’s General Counsel alleges, among other things, that Station Casinos engaged in a scheme to use the COVID-19 pandemic to weaken union support and that it illegally withdrew recognition from the union at Palace Station and Boulder Station.
Red Rock Casino: In July 2021, the United States District Court in Nevada ordered a rare and extraordinary injunction against Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino for its outrageous conduct during the December 2019 NLRB union election at Red Rock Casino. The federal court imposed a 10(j) bargaining order against Red Rock Casino, which mandates that the company recognize the Culinary and Bartenders Unions as the official bargaining representatives and begin negotiations for a first union contract immediately, even as the NLRB proceeding continues.
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, major supporters of the former president, Donald Trump. In the largest private-sector organizing drive in the country, largely immigrant workers have risen up against billionaire Fertitta brothers, who (along with their immediate family) remain major funders of Republicans, including $46,400 to Adam Laxalt for Senate, $23,200 to April Becker for Congress, and $1,085,200 to Take Back the House 2022.
Workers at 9 Station Casinos’ Las Vegas properties are fighting for a union contract:
Boulder Station (September 2016)*, Palace Station (October 2016)*, Green Valley Ranch (November 2017)*, 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. **Pending NLRB complaint seeking an additional bargaining 10(j) order.
Station Casinos has said many times that it would respect its employees’ right to hold an NLRB election, but its actions show otherwise:
*“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).
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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 87 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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