Measure targets Frontier scabs

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 10:46 a.m.

First published on March 18, 1993.

CARSON CITY - The Frontier Hotel would have to hire its striking workers back when the walkout is over, under a bill introduced in the Assembly.

Assemblyman Bob Price, DNorth Las Vegas, and 19 others sponsored AB374 that would prohibit employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers.

It does not prohibit an employer from hiring workers to replace the strikers. But the strikers would be guaranteed their jobs back.

Price denied that the measure was sparked by the strike at the - Frontier, where 550 workers left their jobs in September 1991. He said he got the idea while attending a national legislative conference.

But the legislation would apply to the Frontier. The bill says it would be a misdemeanor for any employer to hire a permanent replacement for a union member who went on strike.

"In most union contracts when you are out on strike, one of the things you negotiate is having the jobs back when you come back," said Price, a former official in the electrical workers union.

"It's only in recent years that there has become a trend of employers to permanently replace the employees.

"I'm of the opinion and labor is of the opinion, that if you know you're were going to get your job back, that some of these things would bring people to a quicker resolve of disputes," he said.

"Because if the employer ha' the ability to say 'You're going on strike, the heck with you, and brings new people ... it only exacerbates the problem of the employees," he said.