Operator News
US – Culinary Union asks the Gaming Control Board to investigate Station Casinos
By Phil - 29 March 2022
The Culinary Union in Las Vegas has officially asked the Nevada Gaming Control Board to investigate Station Casinos’ suitability in connection with its properties’ privileged Nevada gaming licenses for failing to adhering to federal labor law. The Culinary Union is urging the Gaming Control Board to move the Nevada Gaming Commission to take disciplinary action against Station Casinos, up to and including revocation of privileged gaming licenses held by affiliates.
“The Culinary Union is confident the State’s gaming regulators will want to take action against Station Casinos after they have reviewed the ample documentation and evidence of the company and its affiliates’ disregard of federal law, including the current allegations before the NLRB.” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “No one has a right to a revocable, privileged Nevada gaming license – gaming regulators have a duty to make sure license-holders, like Station Casinos, are always operating in way befitting Nevada’s gold standard of gaming industry regulation.”
It is the long-standing public policy of the State of Nevada that the gaming industry is of vital importance to the economy of the state and to the welfare of Nevada residents and, therefore, there must be “strict regulation” of all licensed gaming establishments. Individuals and companies who have been approved to hold a Nevada gaming license have an obligation to continue to conduct themselves in a way that meets the high standards of licensure of Nevada gaming regulators.
The March 17, 2022 letter details the reasons for the Culinary Union’s call for Nevada gaming regulators to take action against Station Casinos. Station Casinos’ legal entanglements go back for years:
On March 4, 2021, the NLRB filed petitions in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to hold five Station Casinos properties in contempt of court for failure to bargain with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 501. The properties agreed to a consent order that can lead to sanctions if violated.
On July 20, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Gloria Navarro issued a “10(j) injunction” against NP Red Rock LLC (“Red Rock”). The Court found it likely that the NLRB will rule in an ongoing proceeding that Red Rock violated federal labor law in its campaign to defeat the union in an election there.
On October 25, 2021, in response to a motion by the NLRB’s General Counsel, NLRB Administrative Law Judge Tracy issued a finding that Station has engaged in contumacious conduct by failing to respond fully to a federal subpoena issued by the NLRB. This is a part of an ongoing complaint against Station Casinos and its property alleging that the company used the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine worker support for the union and that it unlawfully withdrew recognition from the union at Palace Station and Boulder Station.
Past violations by Station Casino’s properties include a 2019 decision by the NLRB that Palms Station Casinos refused to bargain with Culinary Union as required by law, a 2018 decision by the NLRB that GVR refused to bargaining with the Culinary Union as required by law, a 2017 settlement with the NLRB resulting in recognition of the Culinary Union at Palace State after the General Counsel found grounds to issue a complaint, and a 2012 ruling by the NLRB finding that Station Casinos committed widespread violations of law.
Workers at nine Station Casinos’ Las Vegas properties are fighting for a union contract at Boulder Station (September 2016), Palace Station (October 2016), Green Valley Ranch (November 2017), 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).
