Goodman offers to help solve labor rift downtown

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 | 9:35 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said Tuesday he has offered to help the Culinary Union and downtown casinos resolve their contract differences to avoid a July 1 strike.

"I've made myself available if both sides want me to get involved," he said. "I don't want to see a strike downtown. It certainly would not help with our redevelopment projects."

Goodman, who brought both sides together in the city's bus strike, said he was hopeful that the Culinary Union and the downtown casinos would reach a settlement soon.

His offer to intervene comes as the Culinary Union plans to step up public pressure on seven downtown casinos that have taken a hard line -- Binion's Horseshoe, Four Queens, Fitzgeralds, Union Plaza, Las Vegas Club, El Cortez and the Western -- and the Castaways.

The union has scheduled three more demonstrations in the next two weeks to draw attention to the slow-moving talks with the eight properties.

Lawyers for the casinos have said they can't afford the union's demands for increased contributions to its $300 million health and welfare fund. The casinos have proposed shifting union employees to less expensive company medical plans, an offer the union has flatly rejected.

"We're stuck right now," said Gregory Kamer, who represents the seven casinos. "One side or the other has to move."

Kamer said his clients and the Castaways plan to submit a written counter-offer Friday to the union, which has declined to schedule talks this week with the companies.

The union, meanwhile, is counting on public support from two more major unions within the national AFL-CIO, the Communications Workers of America and the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Both Washington-based unions, which are holding conventions in Las Vegas this month, plan to march on Fremont Street with the Culinary Union.

"These are some of the largest unions in the labor movement," Glen Arnodo, the Culinary Union's political director, said. "The fact that they'll be taking the time to march with us is quite significant."

Hundreds of communications union members, meeting next week at the Las Vegas Hilton, are scheduled to participate in a downtown rally on Tuesday. About 4,100 delegates to the 740,000-member union are expected to be in town for the convention. The union represents workers in telecommunications, broadcasting, cable television and publishing.

Municipal union members have scheduled a similar rally the following week on June 26, during their convention at Paris. About 6,500 delegates will be on hand. The union, which represents public service and health-care workers, has 1.3 million members nationwide.

Between the two demonstrations, Culinary Union members plan their own massive march downtown on June 21.

Arnodo said the union has no choice but to step up pressure on the downtown casinos.

"Our workers downtown are not going to let their health insurance be taken from them," he said. "These are some of the most senior workers in the gaming industry. They built this union. They helped build this industry, and they helped downtown casinos survive for decades. We are not going to let them down."

Union leaders are looking for agreements downtown similar to those reached with major Strip casinos. Those contracts provide a nearly $3.24 an hour increase in wages and benefits over five years for more than 38,000 union members.