Union labor may support casino

Wednesday, April 23, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

PORTLAND, Maine -- Organized labor is willing to throw its support behind development of a $650 million casino in York County if casino owners reach an agreement with trade unions.

The executive board of the Maine AFL-CIO voted recently to back the casino campaign by the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes if there is a so-called pre-project agreement with the unions.

Such an arrangement could benefit casino backers who are putting the casino to a statewide vote in November.

The Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes, which want to build the casino, haven't committed to using union labor in either the construction or the operation of the casino and resort they hope to build.

Nor has Marnell Corrao, the Las Vegas casino developer bankrolling the referendum campaign.

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