A year later, pickets still going strong

Lynn Waddell

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 11:15 a.m.

It's been a year since the Frontier strike began and a settlement is still nowhere in sight.

Picketing union workers continue to badger casino patrons. Beefy hotel security guards continue to stand outside the hotel and videotape the strikers every move.

General Manager Tom Elardi still refuses to sign the union contract other Strip hotels have agreed to.

And despite a year of carrying picket signs and living on $200 a week strike pay, union Frontier workers are as adamant as ever.

Not one striker has gone back to work at the Frontier," said John Wilhelm, Western Regional Director of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union. Ninety percent are still picketing."

The only thing changing is the increased national attention the labor dispute is drawing

The national AFL-CIO announced Monday it will put the word out to its 14 million members not to visit the Frontier. It also will host a national labor rally in Las Vegas on Dec. 5.

"It's unusual for us to put such a small strike at the forefront," said Jim Baker, executive assistant to the national AFL-CIO president. "But it was clear to us that this is not a normal strike.

"There are some serious fundamental issues at stake," Baker said. "It's pretty clear the company wants to destroy the union."

Elardi, however, blames the breakdown in negotiations on the unions.

"Since the union refuses to make any significant changes in any portion of the Strip contract, negotiations at this point would be futile," Elardi said in a press release Monday.

"It is unfortunate that despite the good intentions of many of our political leaders, the union position remains absolutely unchanged - 'Sign the Strip contract, sell or we'll shut you down."'

Baker said it's time Elardi reconsiders his options because the AFl-CIO will poison millions of union families against the Frontier.

"The Frontier has taken on the entire united trade union movement," Baker said. "It is time for the owners to examine all of their options. Victory is not one of them."

Elardi called the AFL-CIO's action mere intimidation and said it's hurting union members.

"Despite having so many people unemployed and creating hardships with extra dues for those who are employed, the union would rather threaten the Frontier with extortionate tactics and intimidation," Elardi said.

The AFL-CIO Strategic Approaches Committee initiates a campaign for just a handful of strikes each year, Baker said. The union is currently involved in strikes at the Pittsburgh Press and City of Philadelphia.

"We only get involved with select strikes that touch some fundamental issue," he said

"We've attempted to resist a boycott of Las Vegas because other resort operators are honoring their contracts," Wilhelm said.