For Immediate Release: 10/2/2012
Media contact: Yvanna Cancela, 702-524-8384, ycancela@culinaryunion226.org
Station Casinos found guilty by the NLRB
Las Vegas - The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued an order today completely rejecting Station Casinos’ appeal from the findings of an administrative law judge that it committed 87 unfair labor practices in its anti-union campaign against its own employees. In fact, the NLRB found two additional violations.
Dawn Vaseur, a 12 year cocktail server at Santa Fe, reacted to the verdict by saying, "This is a tremendous victory for all workers at Stations. We hope this decision will lead to a fair process to decide whether to have union representation without management interference and intimidation."
The order was signed by NLRB members Brian E. Hayes, Richard F. Griffin, Jr., and Sharon Block. Hayes is the Republican member of the Board. It is unusual for him to join with the other members of the Board in an important decision against an employer.
The Union predicted exactly this outcome. When Station Casinos touted its appeal, the Union’s counsel said that the appeal would be rejected because the administrative law judge’s findings were based on credibility resolutions which are almost never reversed by the Board. See attached.
Many of the violations involve the same conduct at different hotels. To shorten its order, the Board used a lead charge for each type of violation (like threats or surveillance) instead of passing on the commission of “identical or similar violations at other Stations … where such findings would be cumulative and would not materially affect the remedy.”
The remedy is a very long and broad cease and desist order. It is the biggest NLRB order against a Las Vegas casino company in history. The order is attached.
Station Casinos may appeal yet again, it can ask the United States Court of Appeals to review the case. If it does so, this is nothing but another delaying tactic. Just as the Union accurately predicted that Station would lose at the Board, Station will also lose in court if it decides to go there.
National Labor Relations Board Ruling: http://bit.ly/SwYVfQ
NLRB process: http://bit.ly/SwZ2rP