Frontier pickets have company

Bob Shemeligian

Friday, Jan. 30, 1998 | 10:36 a.m.

First published on June 10, 1993.

As time marches on, so do national unions that join Frontier Hotel workers on their longstanding picket line.

More than 1,000 members of the Amalgamated Clothing & Textile Workers Union marched Wednesday afternoon with striking Frontier workers from the Las Vegas Hilton to the Frontier, where the strike has gone on for 22 months.

Heading south along the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard toward the Frontier, the union members marched, sang songs of solidarity and shouted slogans such as, "No contract, no peace."

"The Frontier strike is probably the most important labor situation in the country today," said Jo-Ann Mort, ACTWU communications director. "This is a labor town, and we believe the Frontier is trying to set a precedent by trying to set up a non-union shop."

This would be bad for business in Las Vegas, Mort said, because many national unions have conventions in Las Vegas, and "there's no doubt they would stop coming here."

Tom Elardi, general manager of the Frontier, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

ACTWU, headquartered in New York City, is in town through today to conduct its sixth "Constitutional Convention."

Once the strikers reached the Frontier, they held-a rally on the south side of the property opposite the Fashion Show Mall.

More than 40 Metro officers in squad cars, on bicycles and on foot watched solemnly.

"So far, so good. Everyone's been very cooperative," Lt. Craig Klatt said.

In the weeks since two California tourists were beaten by a group of striking Frontier workers, Metro has posted officers at the Frontier 24 hours a day.

More than 20 criminal charges have been filed against seven members of Culinary Local 226, which represents many of the striking workers, in the April 25 incident. Klatt said there have been only "minor incidents" since then.

"This company wanted to reduce pay to four bucks an hour and kill the union's pension and health plan," said Jack Sheinkman, ACTWU international president. "Did they do this because profits were reduced? No. All they wanted to do was to pad their fat pockets."

Sheinkman predicted the striking Frontier workers eventually would win.

"In the Reagan era, they tried to bust the unions, but we're going to make sure the Clinton era brings back union rights to the United States," Sheinkman said.

Striking Frontier workers also were joined by members of South African Clothing & Textile Workers Union, the sister union of ACTWU.