About 300 dealers at the MGM Gold Strike Casino in Tunica County, Mississippi have delayed voting on whether the United Auto Workers should represent them due to charges that MGM Resorts International broke federal law campaigning against union representation.
The UAW filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that casino managers illegally used employee tip money to conduct anti-union meetings; threatened employees with pay cuts if they voted for union representation; interrogated employees regarding how they would vote; and told employees ballots would not be secret.
UAW Regional Director Ray Curry said, “The Gold Strike casino is using heavy handed tactics in violation of federal law. We’re asking the National Labor Relations Board to investigate, and we’re calling on MGM to respect its employees’ rights the same way its casinos do in other markets around the country.”
MGM spokesman Gordon Absher responded, “We are disappointed that employees will not be able to exercise their right to vote on Saturday in an election, which the National Labor Relations Board has cancelled as a result of the union’s charge in a statement. We will vigorously defend against this charge, which is without merit.”
In June, UNITE HERE, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and International Union of Operating Engineers organized about 500 food, housekeeping and front desk workers at MGM Gold Strike Casino when MGM International recognized the unions without an election. It’s unclear why MGM recognized those unions but not the UAW.
Most casinos in Mississippi are not unionized, with the exceptions of workers at the Tunica Roadhouse Casino & Hotel and Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino, plus at Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino Hotel & Spa in Biloxi.
According to Mississippi Gaming Commission documents, the Gold Strike employs about 1,300 people and has the most hotel rooms and slot machines of Tunica County’s eight casinos.
