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Union Slams Downtown Casino Deal

LAS VEGAS -- Prospects for a contract settlement by union and downtown casino negotiators took a turn for the worse Monday as union officials slammed the terms of a new deal offered by casino representatives.

Downtown casino lawyer Gregg Kamer faxed his proposal to the union leaders Friday, and the workers' representatives wasted few words describing terms of the proposed deal.

"The proposal clearly was extremely disturbing," Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor said Monday. "That proposal is clearly not an honest attempt to settle. I have a grave concern about downtown."

Kamer's offer would give downtown properties the right to replace union workers with sub-contracted non-union workers, reduce the duration of workers' shifts to as few as four hours, and hire unlimited numbers of part-time workers.

Union contracts, and workers' jobs and seniority could also be terminated if a property is sold, union officials said.

The properties' current contracts and the new deals approved with major Strip operators don't allow the practices Kamer proposed.

Kamer said the proposed contract changes are possible ways to save money so that the operators can afford to pay for workers' wages and health care coverage.

Taylor said every one of the proposals, individually, was a deal killer, issues the union would call a strike to fight.

"That is a union-busting proposal," Culinary political director Glen Arnodo said as union workers painted banners and assembled picket signs at Culinary headquarters following a Monday morning strike organization meeting. "You don't make a proposal like that unless you want a strike."

Kamer said that the union needs to understand that his client properties simply can't afford the terms of the Strip deals, which would cost properties an extra $3.23 1/2 per hour worked by the final year of the pacts.

"They want the El Cortez to be Bellagio," Kamer said. "Well, you can picket, you can cry and you can jump up and down, but that's not going to happen."

Kamer said his clients want a settlement, but only a deal they can afford.

"(Horseshoe owner) Becky Behnen directly told me she does not want a strike," Kamer said. "She said her workers are family and told me to find a solution, but not at $3.23 1/2 per hour."

Kamer represents the Las Vegas Club, Western, El Cortez, Plaza, Binion's Horseshoe, Fitzgeralds and Four Queens. Those seven properties and the Castaways are seen as the least likely to reach a new five-year deal before the union's July 1 strike deadline.

Boyd Gaming Corp. executives met Monday at the Stardust with union negotiators, but failed to reach new deals for workers at the Stardust, Main Street Station and the Fremont.

"We're making good progress," Boyd spokesman Rob Stillwell said Monday afternoon. "We continue to make progress on downtown, and we're close to a deal for the Stardust."

Monday's 90-minute meeting will followed with a weekend negotiating session, Stillwell said.

The Boyd properties, the Sahara and the Barbary Coast are expected to settle new deals before the deadline.

Culinary Local 226 and Bartender's Local 165 officials plan a downtown demonstration Tuesday afternoon, with convention-going members of the Communications Workers of America slated to join Las Vegas workers for a 4:30 p.m. rally.

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