Activists at MGM Grand seek decertification of Culinary Union

Grace Leong

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2000 | 11:32 a.m.

An employee of the Las Vegas Strip's MGM Grand hotel-casino filed a petition Wednesday with the National Labor Relations Board to decertify an estimated 3,500 hotel workers who are represented by the Culinary Workers Union local 226 and the Bartenders Union local 165.

Jane L. Reidhead, a cook and anti-union organizer whose campaign efforts to decertify the Culinary Union began in May, had with the assistance of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation of Springfield, Va., filed a charge with the NLRB in June, alleging MGM Grand's management tried to block her efforts.

Reidhead's charge took issue with a letter issued by MGM Grand President Bill Hornbuckle to employees on June 1, which stated the hotel-casino won't support the decertification effort.

The NLRB investigated the charge but refused to issue a complaint on her behalf against MGM Grand, citing in an Aug. 22 response, "insufficient evidence" to show the hotel-casino had violated federal labor law. The NLRB added MGM Grand's letter "wasn't accompanied by any threats of retaliation, promises of benefit, or other coercive remarks."

Reidhead, who said she and her attorney, Glenn Taubman, are appealing the NLRB's decision, declined to reveal the number of workers supporting decertification, but claims she has signatures estimated to be "in the thousands."

"I know I could get more signatures, but a lot of people are scared about supporting the petition because the union would harass them," Reidhead said. "We had permission from MGM Grand before and after work hours to get signatures for decertification."

"But the union supporters would call us names, use vulgarities. They called us liars and said we are trying to take workers' pensions away and that the union will give job security," she said. "All we're asking for is a vote to hold a secret ballot to decertify the union."

Alan Feldman, spokesman for MGM Grand parent company MGM MIRAGE, said: "We've been working through the collective bargaining agreement process to create a professional and stable work environment. Our relationship with the Culinary union has been very productive and successful in achieving that goal."

"Anything that would distract our cast members from providing optimum service is disruptive, and we would not support it," he said.

The NLRB said it has to determine if the decertification petition is supported by 30 percent or more of the workers in the bargaining unit before it can proceed further with processing the petition.

"We have to get the payroll records which show the employees names and match that with signatures on the sign-up sheets to ensure there's no duplication," said Steve Wamser, the NLRB's regional deputy attorney.

Reidhead said the petition had to be filed Wednesday because that was the last day of the 60-90 day window period to file for decertification before the union's current contract expires Nov. 13.

The Culinary has represented food and beverage, wardrobe and housekeeping workers as well as slot change personnel and bell persons since 1997 at the MGM Grand.

Once the NLRB determines there is sufficient support for decertification, it will then conduct a meeting with all parties and schedule a date to hold an election at the MGM within 40 days of the filing of the petition to determine whether the workers want union representation.

To win the petition, Wamser said the petitioner must have a 50 percent no-vote.

Reidhead, who said she didn't want representation from other unions, said she wants the Culinary to leave the MGM because the union allegedly caused disruptions there and because she found MGM Grand's salary and health benefits more favorable.

"If we get the vote, the workers who chose Culinary insurance and pension will go back to MGM's 401K and health insurance, which has been proven to be better," Reidhead said. "Under MGM's health insurance plan, all you pay is $25 co-pay when you go to the hospital for surgeries. Under the union's plan, the usual out-of-pocket copayment is about $900."

But D. Taylor, Culinary's staff director, disputed the allegations. "Every time this same group has filed complaints or unfair labor practice charges against us, these have been dismissed as either illegal or not factually true."

"We are negotiating the best contract in Las Vegas for food and beverage workers, and are quite confident that we will win the election vote against decertification even if they do have standing to file the petition," he said. "We don't want to polarize the work environment at the MGM Grand."