NLRB accuses Cintas of labor violations in Nevada

Friday, Jan. 9, 2004 | 11:15 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Cintas Corp., the largest U.S. supplier of uniforms to airlines and hotels, was accused by the National Labor Relations Board of violating federal labor laws in four states, including Nevada, by trying to prevent employees from joining a union.

The labor board issued a complaint Dec. 31 against Cincinnati-based Cintas for committing alleged violations of labor law in four states, said Daniel Halevy, acting regional director for the labor board's Philadelphia office. An administrative law judge in Chicago will hear the case in April, Halevy said.

NLRB officials consolidated the cases and filed one complaint against Cintas that included charges in Nevada, Illinois, Connecticut and New York, said Liz Gres, organizing director of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.

"There's one complaint issued by the board. The board believes it will be a national charge. It's going to be one hearing. I think what the message from this is (they're) taking a look at the national scope of what the company is doing. From the headquarters on down (Cintas) is trying to take people's rights away. The board took 11 months to investigate it and they've decided that these charges have merit."

The alleged violations relate to the company's attempts to stop workers from joining a labor union, Gres said. The complaint alleges Cintas threatened workers with a loss of benefits if they supported the union and fired workers because they supported the union.

"These allegations are absolutely false," said Wade Gates, a Cintas spokesman. "We believe we complied with the law and we will continue to do so."

The NLRB complaint said it found merit in a charge UNITE filed on behalf of 120 workers at the company's North Las Vegas plant.

If Cintas is found guilty of violating labor laws, the company will have to remedy the violations, including posting signs promising it won't engage again in the prohibited behavior and reinstating improperly discharged workers, Halevy said.

Gres said the complaint is part of a bigger campaign to stop the company from breaking federal labor laws.

"This is just one piece of a bigger investigation with the board."

The company also has plants in Henderson and Sparks.

Bloomberg News

and the Las Vegas Sun contributed to this story.