Tropicana targeted in Culinary Union protest

Friday, May 23, 2003 | 11:59 a.m.

About 2,000 workers represented by the Culinary Union rallied in front of the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday over allegations that the company hasn't agreed to ensure that existing employees will be given priority in the re-hiring process if the resort is redeveloped.

The company's failure to make that promise is stalling contract negotiations with the Tropicana, union representative Chris Bohner said. The Culinary Union's contract with the property expired at the end of May 2002.

In a statement Thursday, Tropicana President Hector Mon said the resort "continues to negotiate in good faith with the Culinary Union."

"We have reached agreement on the economic terms, with the only unresolved issues having to do with the possible redevelopment of the Tropicana," Mon said.

Plans for a new resort at the site were approved by the Clark County Planning Commission Thursday. The project will be heard June 18 by the Clark County Commission.

The company has maintained that the decision about whether to redevelop the resort will not be made until the first quarter of 2004. In the meantime, the company is preparing a feasibility study on the project.

"Rather than focus on something that may or may not happen, we are concentrating our efforts on keeping the Tropicana competitive and customers coming back," Mon said. "Rallies such as the one staged (Thursday) are distractions that frustrate our customers, hurt all employees and cloud the real issues before us on the negotiating table."

The resort is investing "millions of dollars" in property improvements and marketing programs, he said. The company also has been voluntarily paying the increase in health care and pension benefits for 1,100 Culinary Union employees since the contract expired, he added.