Pickets go to Elardi

David Clayton

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 12:02 p.m.

First published March 12, 1992.

Frontier Hotel strikers are targeting a new front - the exclusive gated community of Rancho Circle.

Within resides Margaret Elardi, owner of the hotel and the person striking union members of Culinary Local 226 want to meet over a bargaining table, or in front of Rancho Circle if she'd prefer.

"If she won't come to us, we will come to her," said D. Taylor, head of organizing for the local. Under the watchful eyes and video camera of Frontier security guards, picketers abode back and forth at Rancho Circle Wednesday, eliciting a variety of horn blasts, shouts, thumbs up, and obscene gestures from passing motorists. On a stretch of public ground to the aide of the front gate, the picketers worked from a small table holding corn chips and water, communications gear, and extra signs. One motorist driving into Rancho Circle hollered for the picketers to go away.

"The picketers will go away the minute she comes out and talks to us," Taylor said by phone from union headquarters.

The Frontier's union workers have been on strike nearly ;is months, and have received widely reported support from Jesse Jackson, Democratic presidential hopeful Jerry Brown and former Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bob Kerry Parity with other Las Vegas hotel-casinos in the areas of wages, working conditions, health care and pensions are the hard issues although Taylor cites a more subjective goal.

"All we ask for is fairness and justice," he said.

On the line at Rancho Circle, while holding a sign reading, "Stop hiding Margaret. Face your workers," Nellie Krasny said all she wanted was a fair boss her job back as a room attendant, and a contract. The union's last contract with the Frontier expired in 1989.

Sandor Menyhert, a member of Carpenter's Local Union 1780, walked the line at Rancho Circle to show support for the striking homier workers. He talked about the reason for targeting Elardi's home.

"It's to embarrass her more than anything else," he said. "She's a rich lady who's living in what's supposed to be a secret place. Yet we know where she lives.

"She wants to do more than just make money. She wants to ruin the union and it's just not going to happen."

Frontier security guards declined comment about their role in monitoring and videotaping the strikers at Rancho Circle. Mike Kluge, in charge of security at the Frontier, spent several minutes himself at Rancho Circle Wednesday afternoon. Over the phone later, 0a office referred all questions to Frontier attorney Steve Cohen, who did not come to the phone or return calls

Taylor said the presence of security guards was "typical of the paranoia, overreaction, and intimidation" shown by Frontier management.