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Foxwoods bartenders vote against joining union Casino leaders praise workers decision Posted Apr 08, 2009 Foxwoods Resort Casino management prevailed Wednesday in a crucial vote to have Local 371 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union represent bartenders, bar porters and beverage servers.
In secret ballots conducted during the day and the evening, employees voted 207 to 133 against representation by the union.
“We are very pleased with the vote of confidence that these employees have given the beverage department management today,” Foxwoods President Michael Speller said. “These team members displayed extraordinary professionalism throughout the weeks leading up to the election and clearly agreed that having an outside organization come between us was not necessary.
“The entire management team looks forward to an exciting future where we will do everything we can to make Foxwoods even better for all of our employees and our guests.”
Despite the loss, union president, Brian Petronella, is not disappointed.
“In 1992, the local tried to push for representation at Foxwoods before there were any slot machines and got nowhere,” he said. “This time around, we got to an election. This was a great educational experience for everyone. We’ll be back.”
If successful, Local 371 would have been the second union approved at Foxwoods. The United Auto Workers is in negotiations with the casino on a contract for dealers.
“Currently we’re in the process of exchanging and evaluating proposals. The bargaining is taking place exclusively under Tribal Law,” said Rich Moskowitz, executive director of employee and labor relations at Foxwoods.
The union loss adds another blow to efforts to unionize casinos during a period of economic downturn in most gaming markets. As a result, casino workers from Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Detroit and Connecticut formed the Gaming Workers Council last month in conjunction with the UAW, the Transport Workers Union, SEIU and the AFL-CIO.
The council will assist bargaining efforts on behalf of casino workers in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Indiana, Connecticut and elsewhere who have voted to form their own unions and are fighting to win first contracts.
Petronella promises to regroup. Next time, the union expects to go through the National Labor Relations Board instead of Tribal law. Under the tribal regulations, the union has to wait a year before trying again.
“Under the NLRB, we can do it anytime. We will not abandon the workers at Foxwoods,” he said. http://www.norwichbulletin.com/casinos/x549600705/Foxwoods-bartenders-vote-against-joining-union |
