Stay back, judge warns strikers

Edward Castle

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 9:15 a.m.

First published on Nov. 5, 1991.

A federal judge said today that strikers in front of the Frontier Hotel will have to keep their distance or face being arrested on contempt charges.

U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben denied the Culinary and Bartenders Union's request for a preliminary injunction that would have halted arrests of strikers for picketing on hotel property.

Last month, District Judge Myron Leavitt issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting strikers from going onto private property, which the union tried to override in federal court.

McKibben said the National Labor Relations Board will have to make the final decision on whether the union has the right to picket on private property.

Richard McCracken, attorney for Culinary Local 226 and Bartenders Local 165, said strikers would not violate Leavitt's order.

"Unless the injunction against us is lifted, nothing will change," he said. "The injunction only affects what we can do by the front doors. This won't change the enthusiasm of the strikers. Morale is terrific."

Joel Keiler, attorney the Frontier, charged the union with violating the restraining order. He said a Friday hearing on contempt charges has been set in state court.

"They curse and harass our customers and hit cars with picket signs," he said. "We have one striker on film exposing himself to someone trying to enter the hotel."

Keiler said the union's allegations that the hotel has been hurt by the strike are unfounded.

He said the hotel's recent TV ads, which depict the union as a drum-beating rabbit, a parody of another TV ad, is all in good fun.

"In the past, the employers were always on the defensive," Keiler said. "Now we are taking the offensive and the union doesn't know what to do."

The union went on strike in September. Culinary workers had been without a contract at the Frontier since 1989 when the old pact expired.

The union contends Frontier workers are paid at least 50 cents an hour less than other Strip resort employees.