LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This week the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino agreed to a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board stemming from Unfair Labor Practice charges filed by the Culinary Workers Union, the largest affiliate of UNITE HERE. The Las Vegas-based casino is owned by Canadian global asset manager Brookfield Asset Management.
In September, the unions filed charges with the NLRB alleging the casino had committed federal labor law violations by putting out anti-union literature trying to convince workers that it would be futile to select a union to represent them—even making the implicit threat that they would lose everything they already had. In the settlement agreement, the casino has agreed not to tell workers that they would “start from zero” if they chose union representation, and not to do anything like or related to interfere with workers’ rights to organize. If the casino violates the settlement agreement, it would be subject to government prosecution. Additional charges filed against the casino by the union are still pending.
The union has called on the property’s owner, Brookfield Asset Management, to agree to a fair process that assures Hard Rock’s housekeepers, food servers, cooks, and other non-union workers have the opportunity to decide whether they want union representation in an atmosphere that is free from management pressure tactics.
“We have been extremely disappointed by this company’s unfair treatment of its workers,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union. “Brookfield needs to agree to the same fair process that the majority of responsible casino employers have agreed to in Las Vegas providing a path for workers to decide whether or not to unionize in an environment free from threats, intimidation, and interference. This neutral process is a commitment to not violate federal labor law and allows workers to make their own choices and build a better future for themselves, their families, and our entire city.”
Workers say a fair chance to decide on unionization will also help assure that the casino’s owner, Brookfield Asset Management, follows the path of nearly all major casino employers in Las Vegas by ensuring the property’s workers are retained in the course of a sale.
“We believe the casino’s irresponsible activity is inconsistent with the interests of Brookfield Asset Management’s many partners,” said Argüello-Kline. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a Canadian asset manager with approximately $250 billion in assets under management, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.
ABOUT THE CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 57,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 270,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.