Red Rock slot technicians seek union decertification vote

Slot-machine technicians at Red Rock Resort are asking the National Labor Relations Board for a vote to decertify the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 501 as its union representative.

Technician Jereme Barrios submitted the petition to the NLRB with legal assistance from the nonprofit National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Barrios declined an interview, citing the possibility of union repercussions.

Representatives of the foundation, which provides legal aid to employees who believe their rights have been violated by compulsory unionism, hope a decertification vote can occur by April. It would not say how many employees signed the petition but said there were enough to require a vote.

Representatives of the IUOE did not respond to requests for comment.

The petition request could affect other union matters in Southern Nevada.

Thomas Stallings and fellow maintenance workers at the Palms, which Red Rock Resorts sold to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians last year, are also attempting to get a vote to remove the IUOE as well as the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades from their workplace.

The Palms is expected to reopen under San Manuel leadership later this spring.

In addition, Red Rock employee Raynell Teske is leading an effort to reverse a union representation decision involving the Culinary union at that property.

Station Casinos was ordered to bargain in good faith with unions for employees at Red Rock Resort after a federal appeals court panel declined to overturn a lower court’s ruling.

A panel of judges on the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in November affirming an order issued by U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro in July that requires Station Casinos to bargain with Culinary Local 226 and Bartenders Local 165 until a federal labor board makes a ruling on the dispute.

A Culinary representative said the union “stands with the IUOE Local 501 and against the efforts of the Washington D.C.-area based National Right to Work Legal Foundation to interfere in Las Vegas labor matters.”

“As far as the Culinary union election at Red Rock Casino, Judge Navarro … ruled that Red Rock had committed violations of labor law that were so egregious that an injunction and bargaining order was required,” said Culinary spokeswoman Bethany Khan. “The Culinary union is confident that Judge Navarro was right and her ruling will continue to stand on appeal.”

The Culinary union has been trying to unionize Station properties for several years, with some of those campaigns being successful. But Station Casinos and the union have not signed a contract at any of those properties.

In a statement, National Right to Work Legal Foundation President Mark Mix said the Red Rock fights with the IUOE, the Culinary union and the Palms dispute with the IUPAT would continue.

“Las Vegas union officials likely believe they can violate workers’ free choice rights without any consequences, as it seems ‘the union house always wins’ at NLRB Region 28,” Mix said. “Mr. Barrios, Ms. Teske and Mr. Stallings are standing up for themselves and their co-workers by opposing unpopular union bosses. Foundation attorneys will fight to make sure their voices are heard even though the deck may seem to be stacked against independent-minded workers.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.