FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Media Contact:
Bethany Khan ▪ BKhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Culinary Union election is officially certified at Green Valley Ranch
Culinary Union calls for contract negotiations at Green Valley Ranch to begin immediately
Las Vegas, NV – Last week, the Regional Director for Region 27 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) certified the Culinary Union officially as the bargaining agent at Green Valley Ranch. This comes after a federal officer issued a report in February 2018 calling for Station Casinos’ objections to a recent union election of its employees be rejected in their entirety. A super majority of 78% Green Valley Ranch employees voted in favor of unionizing.
After a two-week evidentiary hearing conducted in December 2017, a Hearing Officer for Region 27 of the NLRB issued a report in February finding no objectionable conduct by workers or the Culinary Union that would interfere with a free and fair election. Station Casinos unsuccessfully sought to convince the Region 27 Director to reject the Hearing Officer’s report.
“Based on the above and having carefully reviewed the entire record, the Hearing Officer's report and recommendations, and the exceptions and arguments made by the Employer and Petitioner, I overrule the objections, and I shall certify the Petitioner as the representative of the appropriate bargaining unit,” wrote Paula Sawyer, NLRB Region 27 Director. Station Casinos has until April 6, 2018 to seek review of the Regional Director’s decision before the NLRB in Washington D.C. There are limited grounds for overturning the certification.
“Station Casinos has said many times that they would respect their employees’ right to hold a NLRB secret-ballot election and abide by results; now that their objections have been rejected and the union election is certified. We urge Station Casinos to recognize their workers’ voices and votes, and begin contract negotiations in good faith immediately,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union.
Station Casinos has said many times that they would respect their employees’ right to hold a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) union election:
- “We have said all along that if a fair and lawful election is held we will abide by the results.” - Richard Haskins, president of Station Casinos (Las Vegas Review Journal – September 1, 2016)
- “We…support their right to join a union if they so choose as that decision is theirs, not ours, to make.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun - February 12, 2016).
- “We’ve always respected our employees’ right to join a union if that’s what they want to do.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun - January 20, 2016)
- “Station Casinos officials have said they are willing to allow a secret-ballot vote” (Las Vegas Review Journal - October 7, 2014)
- “The decision to join a union belongs to our team members, and we respect that right.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Sun – August 29, 2014)
- “We’ve made it really clear that the door is open for a secret-ballot election.” - Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Wall Street Journal – March 22, 2013)
- “Station saying a secret-ballot election is allowed and welcomed.” (Las Vegas Sun – January 22, 2012)
- “We have always recognized our team members’ right to be represented by a union if they so choose.” – Lori Nelson, Station Casinos spokeswoman (Las Vegas Review Journal – February 17, 2011)
Workers at Green Valley Ranch, a luxury casino resort owned and operated by Station Casinos, voted to unionize on November 8 and 9, 2017. Green Valley Ranch is the fourth Station Casinos-operated property to unionize since 2015. Workers at a Station Casinos-managed tribal casino in California ratified a first union contract in October, 2015. Workers at two of its Las Vegas properties – Boulder Station and Palace Station – were unionized in September, 2016, and March, 2017, respectively.
During the two-day election conducted by the NLRB, 730 workers voted by a landslide 78% “YES” for the union. Approximately 900 Green Valley Ranch workers will be represented by the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE. Station Casinos is the operating subsidiary of Red Rock Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: RRR).
Green Valley Ranch, a AAA Four Diamond Award-winning property, is the first boutique luxury resort built off the Las Vegas Strip, according to the company. Green Valley Ranch has approximately 495 hotel rooms, 2,295 slots, and 48 gaming tables and is owned and operated by Station Casinos, the third-largest private-sector employer in Southern Nevada with 10 casino hotels and 10 casino taverns in the region. Red Rock Resorts (NASDAQ: RRR) became the parent company of Station Casinos through an IPO last year. The company is controlled by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who own 10-to-1 super-voting Class B shares of Red Rock Resorts. In addition to Boulder Station, Palace Station, and Green Valley Ranch, the company’s other casino-hotels in Las Vegas include: Red Rock Resort, Palms Casino Resort, Santa Fe Station, Sunset Station, and Texas Station, Fiesta Henderson, Fiesta Rancho.
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ABOUT THE CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 57,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 270,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 143,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest immigrant organization with over 57,000 members - a diverse membership that is approximately 55% women and 54% Latino. Members - who work as guest room attendants, bartenders, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, and kitchen workers - come from 173 countries and speak over 40 different languages. The Culinary Union has been fighting for fair wages, job security, and good health benefits for working men and women in Nevada for 83 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226