Hoffa orders Teamsters boycott of Park Place

Grace Leong

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters' call Thursday for a boycott of events through 2006 at 19 Park Place Entertainment Corp. properties nationwide may cost Park Place $6 million, the union said.

Some 95 percent of that $6 million in lost business will be sustained by Park Place's Las Vegas operations, the union said.

"We may still hold our conventions in Las Vegas, just not at Park Place properties. We've not yet made a determination on where we will hold our conventions," said Bret Caldwell, Teamsters' spokesman.

The union represents 20,000 members in the Las Vegas area, of which 1,500 are workers at Park Place's Las Vegas properties -- Bally's, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Hilton and Paris. There are 19 Park Place properties nationwide, including eight in Nevada.

Robert Stewart, Park Place's spokesman, disputed the union's estimate of damages from the boycott.

"The immediate impact of the boycott is relatively small because the bulk of the business is in later years. Their major convention is scheduled for 2006, and a number smaller conventions in 2003, 2004 and 2005. We anticipate that if we're unable to resolve this issue, that business will be replaced by other business," he said.

The boycott stems from failed negotiations to reinstate fired slot attendants at Caesars Palace in Atlantic City and to reach contract agreements with the Bally's and Hilton casinos in Atlantic City.

"We can no longer conduct business with a company that has this kind of anti-union, anti-Teamster, anti-worker policy," Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa said in a statement.

"We've represented about 200 slot attendants at Caesars Palace in Atlantic City for seven years. A year ago they went on strike over Caesars' offer of only a 10 cents raise during the last contract negotiations. They were fired and replaced by management and we've been unable to get them back their jobs," Caldwell added.

But Stewart disagreed. "Half of the slot technicians crossed the picket line on the first day of the strike. A large number of the strikers returned to their jobs. The strike was ultimately settled between us and the Teamsters. Only 30 workers didn't come back during the course of the strike. We hired replacement workers, who later joined the Teamsters."

Caldwell said the union was also frustrated by what he described as a corporate strategy to hinder warehouse, food and beverage storeroom workers at Bally's and Hilton in Atlantic City from achieving their first contract.

But Stewart disputed the union's allegations.

"The labor movement has no greater friend in the gaming industry than Park Place. There's been an issue with the local union president in Atlantic City that has spilt over into the national arena. ... (Teamster President James P. Hoffa) clearly was given some inaccurate information by local union officials. We intend to work with the Teamsters to resolve these issues," he said.

"Contract negotiations are under way with Bally's and Hilton in Atlantic City. And the company recently concluded negotiations on two other Teamster contracts with the Claridge in Atlantic City," Stewart said. "We were the first to reach an agreement with the Culinary Union this spring, averting a major strike in Las Vegas, and we have made every possible effort to accommodate union recognition processes at our properties."