It’s been about 21 months since dealers at Caesars Palace overwhelmingly voted for a union representative.
However, dealers and Caesars parent Haras Entertainment could not reach a contract agreement.
Dealers and other members of the freight regiment “Local 721” expressed discontent on Thursday with a strip in front of the famous hotel casino to call attention to the lack of progress in negotiations.
Supporters of some 600 dealers and transport workers, who were holding their annual convention in Las Vegas, wore red shirts and marched from Flamingo Road to the hotel’s driveway in the afternoon heat.
“All we’re trying to do is get their attention,” said Ernie Acevedo, a Caesars Palace dealer for 17 years and the executive director of Local 721. “We just want what other unions have.”
New York-based Transport Workers obtained a representative from Caesars and Wynn Las Vegas in 2007, but failed to negotiate a contract on either property. A vote to elect a representative at the 2008 Rio Games was not approved. 카지노사이트
Dealers and protesters chanted slogans and attracted the attention of passers-by and interested observers. Prescoders of the Serendipity 3 restaurant all took part in the protest.
Transport worker Joseph Carbone said other protests would be planned if negotiations continue to stall. He said the presence of other unionists had helped boost the morale of dealers.
Shane Kaufman, a Caesars Palace dealer who is helping negotiate contracts, says about 600 dealers want similar terms before purchasing Caesar in 2005.
Kaufman said the dealers’ proposals included tip control and union representation among certain personnel decisions.
The union staged a five-month organizing campaign leading up to the December 2007 vote. Dealers said at the time they wanted a better channel to discuss labor issues with management.
Some said concerns about pay, job security and benefits were largely ignored after Hara bought the hotel casino after it bought Caesars Entertainment for $9 billion in June 2005.
Hara’s vice president, Marybel Bhattzer, said the company would not comment directly on the protests.
Several Caesars Palace executives watched the protests, including Dean Allen, vice president of human resources at Hotel-Casino, which is leading the negotiations.
Batjeer said there have been more than 20 meetings between the company and dealers and several issues may be separating the parties.
Batcher said the company did not oppose the protests unless guests were blocked from entering the hotel casino.
“They have the right to rally peacefully and in an orderly fashion and as long as they don’t disturb their guests,” said Batjer.
The vast majority of Caesars Palace’s roughly 4,000 workers are represented by unions including Culinary Local 226 and various labor unions.
“We have a good relationship with all the unions,” Batzer said, “and we have been negotiating at the table with dealers.”
