ONLINE / TWEET
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, November 29th, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Geoconda Argüello-Kline regarding the Ninth Circuit’s ruling affirming injunction requiring Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino to bargain with the Culinary Union:
On Friday, November 26th, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision affirming United States District Court Judge Gloria Navarro’s order requiring Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino to bargain with the Culinary and Bartenders Unions.
“Just like Judge Navarro before it, the Ninth Circuit saw Station Casinos’ grant of benefits right before the election at Red Rock for what it was—a poorly disguised effort to take away union power and to discourage workers from unionizing. This is another victory for workers who stood up and organized to have a union at Red Rock Casino.
We commend Red Rock Casino workers for their courage and resilience in the face of the massive anti-union campaign that Station Casinos shamefully waged against them.
The company has tried to polish its image with commercials and billboards even as it continues to lose before the courts, but a PR campaign is not what Station Casinos needs to win the goodwill of Nevadans. What the company needs to do is to comply with the law and to reach a fair contract with its workers.
The Culinary Union will continue to negotiate until we win a first union contract at Red Rock Casino that turns company promises into union contract guarantees.”
- Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union.
The Culinary Union had always maintained that Station Casinos’ Red Rock Casino seriously interfered with workers’ right to a free and fair union election under federal law in the December 19-20, 2019 NLRB union election, that the NLRB would find the company’s schemes illegal and order Red Rock Casino to recognize the union and bargain a contract. Station Casinos management announced just after the Culinary and Bartenders Unions filed for the election at Red Rock Casino, that it would be making its HMO health plan premium-free and deductible-free, and did so a few days before the election was held. Station Casinos also announced increased company contributions to workers’ 401(k) accounts.
In issuing the 10(j) bargaining order, the Judge Navarro cited Station Casinos’ “hallmark violation” of federal labor law, which the court described as “so outrageous that it undermined the fairness of future elections.” The court directed that negotiations must commence expeditiously in good faith with the Culinary Union. Should Station Casinos refuse, it faces the risk of being held in contempt of court, with possible fines and even jail time for those responsible.
Workers at 10 Station Casinos’ Las Vegas properties are fighting for a union contract: Boulder Station (September 2016)*, Palace Station (October 2017)*, Green Valley Ranch (November 2017)*, Palms (April 2018)*, Sunset Station (June 2019)*, Fiesta Rancho (June 2019)*, Fiesta Henderson (September 2019)*, Red Rock Resort (December 2019)*, Texas Station (April 2021)**, and Santa Fe (April 2021)**.
*NLRB union vote dates. **Pending NLRB complaint seeking an additional bargaining 10(j) order.
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ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 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 300,000 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 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest Latinx/Black/AAPI/immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership which is 55% women and 45% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, 12% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples.
Culinary Union members work as: Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting for working families in Nevada for 87 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
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