The largest companies out there have been known to actively try and undermine unionization efforts. Meanwhile, it should be noted that one group of workers at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The casino employees, which consists of video slot technicians and live casino dealers, are trying to buck the trend and derail unionization efforts.

Red Rock Workers Cast Their Ballots Against Unionization

In fact, the matter has been brought before the National Labor Relations Board, where workers at the establishment in question, which is owned and operated by Station Casinos, have petitioned for the intervention of third parties to thwart unionization efforts led by the Culinary Union. 

In essence, Culinary Union is attempting to demonstrate that workers are only reluctant to join because they are being pressured not to. Yet, there seems to be sufficient evidence to suggest that employees at Red Rock Casino are content with their agreement with the firm. 

Now, employees at Red Rock have urged the courts to put an end to the Culinary Union’s attempts to compel individuals into joining. These workers are being represented for free by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund (NRTW). 

The Culinary Union is one of the most influential organizations in Nevada, New Jersey, and other places, and it has always looked out for the best interests of casino employees. This shows that the Culinary Union’s intentions are good.

However, this is not a narrative about a greedy employer who threatens his staff in order to get more work out of them. 

They have been consistent in keeping their employees outside of any unions, not through empty threats, but rather by improving working conditions, paying better, and extending various benefits to employees.

The owners of Station Casinos, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta III, view unions as nothing more than an unnecessary headache. This has developed a feeling of loyalty, which in turn has pushed casino employees on the majority of the Fertitta’s properties to fight back against unionization attempts from inside the facilities.

However, the brothers have not prevented employees from exercising their legal right to vote on whether or not to form a union, and this has resulted in most people continuing to support the Fertittas.

The “pre-vote check cards” have allegedly revealed a different tale, which leads Culinary Union to conclude that there was in fact improper behavior on someone’s part.

Despite this, the employees voted against the union drive by a margin of 627 to 534 in the official poll. Mark Mix, the president of NRTW, was of the opinion that the Culinary Union’s methods were comparable to those that are decried by company owners who use coercion to prevent their workers from joining unions.

Video Slot Technicians Want Out

Mix attacked Culinary Union’s persistence on the subject and disregarded the employees’ right to choose for themselves if they wanted to join a union in the first place. Mix also overlooked the workers’ freedom to decide for themselves if they want to join a union. 

Employees say that slot technicians at the Red Rock Casino are eager to give up their membership in the Union of Operating Engineers Local 501, but they have been prevented from doing so by the same individuals who are now asking that everyone be brought into the fold of the Culinary Union. The plot thickens, and Culinary Union maintains its conviction that it is looking out for the employees’ best interests.