Union challenges Mesquite casino election results

Grace Leong

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 11:08 a.m.

The Industrial Technical and Professional Employees union, which lost an election in December to represent workers at Randy Black Sr.'s three casinos -- Oasis, Casablanca and Virgin River in Mesquite -- challenged the election results with the filing of an unfair labor practice complaint last week.

The union, which sought to represent 1,276 housekeeping, food and beverage workers in a National Labor Relations Board-held election on Dec. 7 and 8, said it was rejected by a vote of 640 to 464 because of Black's alleged threats to close the Oasis and notify the Immigration & Naturalization Service of alleged undocumented workers at the casinos if the union won.

The union, in a Jan. 30 complaint, said the casinos also threatened to reduce the work hours of union supporters and terminate workers who showed union support. The union said employees of the Oasis' buffet area were laid off on Jan. 6 because of their alleged union support, while the work hours of one worker, Elvira Garcia, were cut on Dec. 17 because she served as an observer for the union during the election.

John Collins, the ITPE's labor representative in Las Vegas, said the union's organizing efforts began in June and were precipitated by complaints from some Oasis workers who claimed their wages were cut after Black acquired the hotel-casino and that they were asked to reapply for their positions.

"Some Oasis workers said they had their wages cut to bring them in line with wages paid at the Virgin River and Casablanca," Collins said.

But Mark Ricciardi, Black's labor attorney, disagreed.

"The allegations made in the unfair labor practice charge are untrue. The casinos never made any threats. During the election, the employees were given information so they could make informed choices at the ballot box. All of the applicable rules and laws were followed by the company. "It seems the union is trying to take away the choice the employees made," he said. "When the employees looked at all the facts they probably figured they're better off having a direct relationship with the company than paying initiation fees and monthly dues to the union to represent them."

Collins said the NLRB will make a decision on whether to grant the union's request for a new election after it has taken statements from union members about the allegations.

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