Culinary in dispute with New Frontier

Alana Roberts

Tuesday, March 9, 2004 | 11:05 a.m.

Trustees of two trust funds of the Culinary Union Local 226 and the Bartenders Union Local 165 have filed a lawsuit against the New Frontier hotel casino, alleging the Las Vegas casino failed to make fringe benefit contributions to the funds since July 2000.

The lawsuit was filed March 1 in U.S. District Court by D. Taylor, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Union, and Mike Sloan, trustees of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union Welfare Fund and Trustees of the Southern Nevada Culinary and Bartenders Pension Trust.

The suit accuses the hotel of breach of contract for allegedly not making the unspecified amount of fringe benefit contributions and allegedly not submitting reports as specified in the unions' labor agreements and trust agreements with the hotel.

The lawsuit also alleges the hotel did not submit written reports to the funds on a timely basis listing Culinary employees or the number of hours and/or shifts worked by those employees.

The suit alleges that the company is also in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which oversees employee health and pension funds and demands payment of the unpaid fringe benefits, damages, attorneys fees and a court order forcing the casino's leaders to submit timely reports and to make timely payments.

"Defendants are considered delinquent to the funds and are required to pay the funds liquidated damages and interest on the amounts due," the suit said. The suit said the amount of damages and interest amounts will be determined at trial.

Mike Nelson, director of human resources at the New Frontier, declined to comment on the case. He also declined to say how many employees at the casino are under the Culinary Union's contract.

Neither Taylor nor Kevin Christensen, an attorney for the trust funds, could be reached for comment.