Union turns up heat on Sands

Thursday, April 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Sands hotel-casino employees have gone public with concerns about losing their jobs as the Strip resort plans an ambitious expansion.

About 70 workers, supported by Culinary Union leaders, staged a brief demonstration outside the Sands Wednesday to call attention to their plight.

The employees attempted to meet with Sands President Arthur Waltzman, but were denied access to his office.

Culinary Union President Hattie Canty was on hand to support the Sands workers.

"We're not going to walk away from this," Canty said. "These people's futures are on the line."

The 40,000-member Culinary Union represents about 700 Sands workers.

The employees have been trying to meet with hotel executives for the past two weeks as rumors circulated that the hotel is being leveled to make room for two new 3,000-room towers.

But Sands officials, who still haven't finalized their $1.5 billion construction plans, have been reluctant to meet with the employees.

Current plans call for the hotel's world-famous tower to be torn down to make room for two new high-rises.

If the Sands decides to rebuild on the site of the original tower first, the employees will be laid off.

But if it puts up the second tower off Sands Avenue first, the workers will be able to keep their jobs during construction.

"We've heard a lot of rumors that the place is closing," said Nancy Costantino, a 54-year-old maid. "We want to put the rumors to rest. There's a lot of anxiety here."

Monika Bauer, a 53-year-old booth cashier who has worked at the Sands for 23 years, added: "I put all my youth in this place. I would like to know what's going on."

Mark Martin, 44, a bartender, said: "I'm too old to be looking for a job if I don't have to."

The workers gathered outside the employee entrance in the back parking lot about 5 p.m. hoping to storm up to Waltzman's office.

But they were stopped at the gate by security chief Ward Barrows, who told them, "You're not going into the property."

Bill Champion, a Sands consultant, said Waltzman was agreeable to meeting with six of their representatives at a future date.

But that was unacceptable to the employees, who insisted they would only meet en masse with Waltzman.

Still, the workers avoided a confrontation. They left half an hour later, promising to return for another demonstration if their demand wasn't met.

Champion told the SUN that Waltzman sympathizes with the plight of the workers, but isn't prepared to discuss their futures yet.

"I hear they're frustrated," Champion said. "So is Mr. Waltzman."

But Champion added: "He feels like he's being pressured into doing something he's not ready to do."