Frontier strike veterans inspire UAW delegates

Brian Seals

Friday, June 26, 1998 | 3:55 a.m.

With the United Auto Workers facing a strike of uncertain length against General Motors, the union received a rousing pep talk on strike persistence Thursday from Las Vegas's Culinary Union Local 226.

The UAW closed its constitutional convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center with words of encouragement from veterans of the 6-year Frontier hotel-casino strike.

Culinary President-elect John Wilhelm credited the UAW for its support of Culinary workers during the Frontier Strike.

"These strikers would not have won the strike, could not have persevered so long, without the support of the UAW," Wilhelm told the UAW delegates.

Wilhelm pledged equal support for UAW workers in their dispute with GM.

"If there is anything HERE can do for you, I'm at your personal disposal," Wilhelm said. "So are HERE workers."

HERE is the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union -- another name for the Culinary Union.

For further inspiration, UAW delegates viewed a video documenting the Frontier strike. Members of the Culinary Union also presented UAW president Stephen Yokich with a plaque of thanks. Yokich was elected to a second term Wednesday to head the UAW.

"Six years is a long time," said Frontier worker Ray "Bubba" Turner. "But we made it."

Part of the GM-UAW dispute stems from subcontracting work.

Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Jim Arnold says that's something to which his union can relate. The Culinary Union remains concerned about hotel-casinos subcontracting restaurant services -- that's causing a labor dispute with the non-union Ark Las Vegas Restaurant Corp. at the New York New York hotel-casino.

"We can relate to a lot of their concerns," Arnold said. "We'll be the first in line to give them help no matter what they need."