Congressional delegation calls for Frontier arbitration

Lynn Waddell

Friday, Jan. 30, 1998 | 9:25 a.m.

More political requests are being made to end the almost three-year-old Frontier Hotel strike.

The Nevada congressional delegation asked the unions and the Frontier Hotel on April 13 to submit to binding arbitration in attempt to settle the strike.

"With the negative publicity generated by this dispute reaching a national level, we urge each of the parties to turn to arbitration to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. We believe such action would be in the best interest of the Frontier workers, the Frontier management, the future of Las Vegas and the industry in general," the delegation letters said.

The letters were signed by Sens. Harry Reid and Richard Bryan and Rep. James Bilbray.

Culinary Union Local 226, the leading union in the strike, has accepted the offer, but there has been no word from Frontier management. General Manager Tom Elardi did not respond to phone calls.

Gov. Bob Miller has also asked for both parties to submit to arbitration to end the strike, but the Frontier refused.

The governor hired an independent fact-finder to help settle the dispute, but with no success.

Jim Arnold, Culinary Local 226 secretary-treasurer, said the unions are "ready to sit down at any time with representatives of the Frontier Hotel to begin binding arbitration.