Two Rhode Island tribes want site work on the new Tiverton casino, stopped until they have a chance to search it for tribal burial grounds. If they find remains, they would like the opportunity to relocate them.
The Newport Daily News last week quoted an attorney for the Pocasset and Pokanoket tribes as wanting to use ground-penetrating radar on the casino footprint, which is a few hundred feet from the Massachusetts state line.
Twin River, which is building the casino, says it has already done archaeological work on the site without finding any sign of a burial ground.
The tribes say they are willing to go to court to enforce their demands.
Agreement Reached
In a separate but related development, more than 300 food workers at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln reached a tentative deal on a new contract—just minute after they had voted 327 to 5 to go out on strike.
The workers of Unite Here Local are employed at the 19 eateries of the casino. They were fighting against being charged for health benefits and for higher pay.
The union and the management issued a joint statement that “Twin River Management Group and UNITE HERE Local 26 are pleased to announce a settlement agreement.”
The clash was sparked when Twin River changed its health plan offered by the same company without collective bargaining, which the union violated federal labor practices.
