Station Casinos has agreed to stop fighting Las Vegas’ Culinary Workers Union over its attempts to organize employees at the company’s Palace Station.
Station made the concession after the National Labor Relations Board launched an investigation into Culinary’s claims that management had violated federal law during a union election at Palace Station last October which the union lost by four votes out of 528 cast.
The union claimed Station had rigged the election with tactics that included lowering health insurance premium costs at every location but Boulder Station, where the union had won an election to unionize workers only a month prior to the Palace Station vote.
“We allege that not giving the same offer to Boulder employees was essentially sending a signal to employees at Boulder and other Station Casinos properties that if you select the union you will be punished,” said NLRB Regional Director Cornele Overstreet.
“In certain circumstances, we may find the unfair labor practices are of such significance that they preclude the holding of a fair election,” he said.
Station said in a statement: “Rather than engage in lengthy, disruptive and distracting proceedings, the company has decided that it would be in its best interests to proceed with negotiations with the union as the collective bargaining representative at Palace Station for the eligible bargaining unit team members at that property.”
Overstreet said it’s expected that Station will begin bargaining with the union within 12 weeks. From there, the union and Station have six months to a year to agree on a contract.
He added that as part of the settlement, Station also has agreed to reimburse all Boulder Station employees for the difference in health plan premiums.
“We commend the Palace Station workers for their courage and resilience in the face of the company’s massive anti-union campaign,” said Geoconda Arguello-Kline, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union. “We look forward to starting contract negotiations so that workers can have fair wages, job security and good health benefits.”
