Hilton dealers reject union, Luxor vote off

David Strow

Monday, Jan. 22, 2001 | 11:17 a.m.

An ambitious campaign to unionize Las Vegas dealers took another blow Saturday, after dealers at the Las Vegas Hilton voted against organization by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

One hundred fifty-eight dealers at the Park Place Entertainment Corp. property voted against representation by the Transport Workers Union, while just 87 voted in favor; 263 dealers were eligible to vote.

"We are pleased with the outcome of the vote, and look forward to working with our dealers in the future," said Scott LaPorta, chief financial officer of Park Place.

The vote came a day after the Transport Workers Union withdrew its application to hold an election at the Luxor, and a week after dealers at the Monte Carlo voted 3-1 against organization.

And that's left union officials somewhat baffled, since it filed for elections only after receiving signed authorization cards from more than 70 percent of the dealers at each property. But the union has yet to win an election.

"To us, it's amazing that these people are not going, at this point, because of working conditions, and because everyone else around them has contracts," said Jeff Osborne, organizer for the TWU. "We told the dealers when we came out here ... that we'll give you an opportunity, and if you want to do this, we'll come out, but it's up to you."

Another election is scheduled for today at the Tropicana.

"They seem to be pretty solid over there (in support)," Osborne said. "Every indication is that it looks good, but you never know when people go in there (to vote)."

Following the Monte Carlo vote, the union filed formal objections with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming fliers were circulated among dealers there during the election that threatened mass layoffs if the dealers voted for organization. But Osborne said no objections are planned in the Hilton vote.

"They had the normal anti-union campaign, but not like the Monte Carlo," Osborne said.

A vote was also scheduled for Saturday at the Luxor, but the union withdrew its request for an election there on Friday. The union must now wait six months before it can again apply for an election at the property.

On Jan. 8, the TWU filed charges with the NLRB accusing Luxor managers of making "coercive statements, including threats" to dealers. Osborne said the decision to withdraw was related to these allegations.

"We thought at this time, they're beating up on us so bad, we'd be better off to pull the election," Osborne said. "We have to take the heat off these people (before a vote)."

John Marz, vice president of marketing for Luxor owner Mandalay Resort Group, denied any improper activities had occurred. He suggested the union withdrew because it feared defeat, calling the union's move "anti-democratic."

"We were rather disappointed they filed (for an election) in the first place, and we're more disappointed now," Marz said. "We believe we would have won overwhelmingly, and it would have been a devastating blow to the union."

Monte Carlo is 50 percent owned and managed by Mandalay.

Osborne said the union must now wait six months before re-filing for an election at the Luxor, but said the union remains committed to organizing dealers there.

After the Tropicana vote, elections are still scheduled for the Stratosphere, the MGM Grand, the Riviera, Bally's Las Vegas and the New York-New York. Petitions have been filed for elections at Treasure Island, Excalibur and the New Frontier.