Venice, Italy, deputy mayor to protest at Venetian

David Strow

Friday, Sept. 17, 1999 | 11:25 a.m.

The Culinary Union will turn up the political heat considerably on the Venetian hotel-casino when the deputy mayor of the resort's namesake city plans to protest at the resort next Friday.

Michele Vianello will be joined by three Venice union officials at a picket line planned by the Culinary on Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. in front of the Venetian.

"One of the historical birthplaces of the Italian labor movement is Venice," said Glen Arnodo, political action director for the Culinary local in Las Vegas. "The idea that Mr. (Sheldon) Adelson (owner of the Venetian) can appropriate the images of Venice while running a fiercely anti-union campaign does not sit very well with the people of Venice.

"They resent him using the name of Venice while he conducts his battle against the union here. They are coming to Las Vegas as a gesture of solidarity for our campaign against the Venetian."

A spokeswoman for the Venetian branded Vianello's visit as "just another political stunt."

"What on earth does the deputy mayor of Venice know about what goes on in the Venetian hotel?" said Evette Davis. "What on earth does this have to do with the well-being of the Venetian team members?

"If it was good enough for (Italian actress) Sophia (Loren), why not for the deputy mayor of Venice?"

Loren was a centerpiece of the Venetian's opening activities in May.

Arnodo said he first made contact with the Italian city's officials during a visit to Venice in April.

"When I went to Italy, the unions and the city council held a press conference with us in the City Hall," Arnodo said. "Our appearance in Venice received a great deal of (media) attention."

The Culinary and Adelson have been battling even prior to the opening of the massive non-union resort. Culinary officials are demanding that Adelson consent to a "card count" of employees to determine if sufficient support exists for union representation, a procedure considered standard among Strip resorts. The Venetian has said it will only recognize the union through an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board. Neither side has shown any willingness to budge from their positions.

Arnodo said the Italian officials will meet with numerous Venetian employees during their four-day stay, "to hear what it's like first-hand." They will also hold a press conference during their visit, and speak to the convention of the Nevada AFL-CIO, scheduled to be held next week at the Luxor.

Davis hinted that the visit bordered on misappropriation of union funds.

"I'd be curious to know if Las Vegas workers paid for the deputy mayor and his colleagues to come out," Davis said. "That money would have been better spent on what's going on in town."

The officials will also be hosted by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman at a cocktail reception planned for the evening of Sept. 22 at the New Frontier Hotel.

Arnodo, however, insisted that Goodman is not stepping into the Culinary-Venetian war.

"We told Mayor Goodman why the delegation was coming, but we have not asked him to take a position," Arnodo said. "We simply asked him to host the deputy mayor."

Darcy Hayes, spokeswoman at City Hall, also indicated that Goodman wasn't taking a political position by hosting Vianello.

"This is strictly protocol," Hayes said. "He would do it for any incoming dignitary."