Neal wants state gaming action against Frontier

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 11:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY- If Sen Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, has his way, state gaming regulators will investigate the Frontier Hotel to see if it's trying to bust its unions

Neal has asked that a bill be drafted mandating that Gaming Control Board agents look into the strike, which started in September 1991.

Neal wants to find out whether the Frontier, operated by the Elardi family, can afford to match Culinary Union contracts in force at other casinos.

"I want to see if it's feasible for the hotel to reach an agreement in this case," he said.

If the money is there, Neal said, the Frontier's refusal may be an effort to "break the union."

The senator said the Legislature then "has an obligation to act in some form or another."

"We could require the hotel to reach a settlement in a certain time limit or we could force suspension of the license," he said.

He said he doesn't expect gaming industry opposition to his legislation, since other hotels lose business when, for instance, national labor leaders lead a demonstration on the Strip.

"Some of the gaming people support the workers," he said.. "(William) Bennett (of Circus Circus) has given aid.

"Nobody wants the Strip tied up.... This is not only affecting the Frontier but other resorb that have signed an agreement."

There is ample precedent to step into the strike, Neal said, citing a case of federal intervention in a railroad strike.

He emphasized that the gaming industry is the lifeblood of the Nevada economy and the continued strike can only hurt the state.

He said national publicity on the strike is giving Las Vegas an image as an anti-union city, which Neal said isn't true.

Unions representing culinary workers, bartenders, teamsters, operating engineers and carpenters started the strike Sept. 21, 1991. It is the longest in the city's history, surpassing the 1

month walkout against Binion's Horaeshoe.

Neal's request was revealed in the latest list of bills sought by lawmakers. So far, there have been requests for 1,259 bills.

Newly elected Sen. Lori Lipman Brown, D-Las Vegas has asked for legislation to allow a wiretap if the party is a victim of obscene or threatening calls or consumer fraud.