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Las Vegas Union Bracing for Imminent Conflict

LAS VEGAS -- Culinary union officials said they have no plans to offer reduced members' work weeks to prevent resort layoffs in the event business slows down after a war with Iraq begins.

Union leaders made a similar offer when Strip resorts laid off about 15,000 workers after a tourism slowdown followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but hotel executives declined the proposal.

The union represents about 40,000 Strip and downtown maids, bellmen and food-service workers. Their contracts require hotel layoffs to be made according to seniority, by job classification, with newest employees laid off before those with more seniority.

"The last time we (offered to reduce workweeks to prevent layoffs) the companies said (the offer) came too late," said Culinary Workers Local 226 Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor, the local's top official. "If workers want to voluntarily reduce their hours, that's one thing. But we're not going to offer that when we don't know the severity or the length of the crisis."

Taylor said workers have good reason to be reluctant to offer hotels the ability to cut work week hours.

"One, we don't know the impact of a war," Taylor said. "Two, seniority is a factor."

Asking workers with seniority to give up income to help those who might otherwise be laid off is a tough sell, one Taylor said the Culinary's not going to make.

"The last time we offered to help, the companies weren't inclined to work with us," he said.

Culinary officials sent a letter to hotel-casino operators two weeks ago, reminding the employers that union contracts require layoffs be made according to seniority.

After the Sept. 11-related layoffs, a number of properties made mistakes handling layoffs, Taylor said, errors that took months to fix and caused personal hardship to workers.

The outcome of the current Iraq crisis is difficult to predict, Taylor said.

"There are a lot of unknowns out there," Taylor said. "It could be like the first Gulf War, with a quick downturn and a quick recovery. Or it could be like after 9-11. Obviously, we hope it's more like the first Gulf War. But no one knows."

That uncertainty extends to many Culinary members, particularly the thousands of foreign-born workers in the union rank and file, he added.

"Many members and their families are worried about a backlash against immigrants," Taylor said. "It's regrettable we've seen that since 9-11, and workers are concerned."

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