Thursday, May 9, 2002 | 11:01 a.m.
The American labor movement is prepared to back a Culinary Union strike with all of its muscle if contract negotiations with the casino industry break down at the end of the month, the nation's No. 2 labor leader said Wednesday.
"We will do whatever it takes, as long as it takes and go in as many places as it takes to get them a decent contract," said Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the Washington-based AFL-CIO. "We simply will not let them down."
Trumka, who has come to the aid of past Culinary Union strikes at Binion's Horseshoe and the Frontier in the 1990s, said the AFL-CIO is willing to give the 50,000-member Culinary Union financial support and additional manpower if necessary to carry on the fight with the casinos.
"We won at the Horseshoe. We won at the Frontier, and I hope it doesn't come to this, but if they force their hands, we'll be there to make sure the Culinary Union will win again," he said.
Trumka said he chairs the AFL-CIO's Strategic Approaches Committee, which monitors hot labor disputes around the country. The committee is closely watching the Culinary Union's negotiations with the casino industry and preparing to lend its assistance, he said.
The union, Trumka said, is regarded as the "pinnacle" of organized labor in this country. Its international president, John Wilhelm, sits on the AFL-CIO's executive council.
"They're an inspiration," Trumka said. "They show real solidarity."
Trumka said he knows the casino industry has had an "excellent and stable" relationship with the union over the past two decades.
"For them to now throw down the gauntlet would be a serious setback," he said. "At the end of the day, I hope that the gaming industry understands that the partnership they have with the Culinary Union is far more valuable to them than anything else."
One casino executive, MGM MIRAGE Vice President Alan Feldman, said he recognized the value of the partnership.
"The simple fact of the matter is the Culinary Union and management have in the past had a remarkable history of working together to get these things done," he said. "I'm hoping that we'll be able to do the same thing this time."
Feldman said he also hoped that both sides would tone down the rhetoric, as they head into the final weeks of negotiations before the June 1 deadline.
He acknowledged that he was "too glib" the other day when he likened the union's tactics in attracting national attention to terrorists.
"The words that we use right now are very important," he said.
During a telephone conference call Wednesday put together by the Wall Street investment firm of Goldman Sachs, Wilhelm said talks with casino industry so far "have not been encouraging" from the union's view.
"We are very concerned about the status of the negotiations," Wilhelm told gaming investors for Goldman Sachs.
But he added: "We are going to do our dead level best to bring this home without further disruption of business here."
This morning, following talks Wednesday with Mandalay Resort Group officials, Wilhelm did not sound optimistic.
"We didn't get anywhere, he said. "We didn't make any progress on any significant issue."
Mandalay General Counsel Mike Sloan said the union's demands, primarily on the issue of free health insurance, are not realistic.
"We urged them to rethink their position," he said.
Gov. Kenny Guinn, however, said that he is confident an accord could be reached by June 1.
"I have faith in both parties," he said. "They both understand the circumstances. I believe they will come to an agreement."
Guinn said he won't intervene unless talks break off.
The governor said he was concerned about the effect of last week's clash between Circus Circus security officers and union members on the negotiations.
Union leaders alleged that security officers attacked and injured at least a half-dozen union members during a spontaneous rally in the employee's cafeteria.
Company officials said the scuffle occurred after the union members tried to organize a demonstration in violation of the current contract.
"Those things never help the situation," Guinn said. "You would hope that something like that would not take place."
Union leaders brought those who said they were hurt during the melee to the bargaining table at Circus Circus Wednesday with Mandalay Resort Group executives. Circus Circus is one of five Mandalay properties negotiating a new contract.
Those hurt in the incident have filed battery complaints with Metro Police against the security officers, and union leaders have lodged grievances with the company to reinstate three workers suspended following the scuffle.
