New Frontier dealers vote for organization

Monday, Feb. 26, 2001 | 10:56 a.m.

By a margin of just six votes, dealers at the New Frontier hotel-casino voted Friday to make the Transport Workers Union their collective bargaining representative.

Out of 105 eligible dealers, 48 voted in favor of the union while 42 voted against. The union has now triumphed at three Strip properties, including the Tropicana and the Stratosphere.

"We hope (momentum) has shifted a little," said Frank Trotti, organizer for the TWU. "A lot of people want to be treated with dignity and respect. That might not put more money in your pocket, but it's a major issue, and people really need that."

New Frontier officials declined comment this morning.

Though it has won elections at three properties, the organizing campaign has proven rocky for the TWU. Dealers at six properties -- the MGM Grand, New York-New York, Bally's Las Vegas, Las Vegas Hilton, Monte Carlo and Riviera -- have voted against organization.

But the history of the Frontier shows the union still faces hurdles at the properties where it has won elections. In 1977 and 1981, Teamsters Local 14 prevailed in elections to represent dealers at the Frontier, but the union withdrew in 1987 after being unable to come to terms on a contract.

"We'll see what history says (about the TWU)," Trotti said. "We're not trying to hurt any company."

The final elections in the current organizing campaign come Saturday at the Excalibur and March 10 at Treasure Island. Trotti said the union hopes to begin contract talks at the Tropicana and Stratosphere by the end of March.