Electrical Workers union pickets job site

Friday, March 19, 2004 | 11:16 a.m.

About a dozen members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers picketed an Arco Electric work site in Henderson this morning.

Arco Electric is a contractor for an office building under construction on Green Valley Parkway just south of Interstate 215.

Union organizer and Assistant Business Manager William Poma said the union is "picketing a non-union shop" and referred other questions to representatives at the union's headquarters, who could not be reached by press time.

Arco Electric partner James Grant said he had no idea the union would be picketing this morning and has had no communication with union officials.

"I don't know that they're after," he said. "We've built the same type of building for the last seven years and we've never had a problem."

The union likely isn't trying to organize Arco but may be protesting the fact that no union electrical contractors are involved in construction of the expansion of Green Valley Ranch Station hotel-casino and an adjacent shopping center, he said.

The office building and shopping center are being developed by American Nevada Company.

American Nevada is owned by the Greenspun family, owner of the Las Vegas Sun and a partner with Station Casinos Inc. in Green Valley Ranch Station hotel-casino.