Union takes Station protest to restaurant

Members of the Culinary Workers Union stood outside a Subway restaurant on Thursday, passing out leaflets that urged the owners of the franchise to call on Station Casinos LLC to "stop its anti-union campaign."

"We believe it's important that the public understand what Station Casinos is doing," said Yvanna Cancela, the union's political director.

The leaflets asked customers, "What's the price of your sandwich?" It also identified Frank Schreck as the owner of the restaurant at 4551 W. Flamingo Road and as a "business partner" of Station Casinos.

The union urged Schreck, owner of Subway Nevada LLC and a partner in the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, to tell the gaming company to stop firing Latino workers and "respect its employees' right to organize without interference."

The union also asked Schreck to pressure Station Casinos to "agree to a fair process for workers to decide whether to have union representation."

Schreck said he was taken aback by the union's decision to target one of his restaurants.

"I've been representing Station Casinos for over 35 years," he said. "I helped Mr. (Frank) Fertitta (Jr.) to get his gaming license. I wrote a letter of recommendation to USC for Frank Fertitta (III). I've also known D. Taylor (secretary-treasurer) of the Culinary union for years."

Schreck said he couldn't do what the union was asking him to do because of his role as an attorney representing Station Casinos in nonlabor matters. He also took offense at being considered anti-Latino because of his long relationship with Station Casinos.

"We have 500 to 600 people employed by Subway Nevada, 90 percent of which are Latinos. Ninety percent of our management is Latino," Schreck said in a phone interview. "I have sent D. Taylor an e-mail outlining my concerns."

Culinary 226 members spent two hours passing leaflets to customers, who seemed to support the union's organizing efforts. Schreck said the union members were simply interfering with the business.

Kim Smith, of Las Vegas-based Curtis Steel Co. Inc., said the union's tactics "were kind of interesting."

"I didn't know of the things they are alleging," Smith said. "You don't hear the details of what goes on day to day."

Jaime Abarca, who was visiting from San Diego, said he supported the union's efforts. After reading the union's claims of discrimination and illegal terminations, Abarca got into his car saying, "It's not fair, it's not fair."

Lori Nelson, corporate communications director at Station Casinos, said the union's efforts were "yet another example of the strong-arm tactics being used by the Culinary union as part of their continued harassment of our company."

Nelson said the claims that the company discriminates against its Hispanic employees are "ridiculous blatant lies."

"These tactics by the Culinary union leadership have been going on for years due to their frustration over our employees not being interested in joining the union," she said. "How unfortunate for Culinary union members that their dues continue to pay for shameless stunts like this."

Mario Medina, who said he was fired from Fiesta Henderson in March 2010, argued his efforts weren't a stunt, but an ongoing effort to have Station Casinos stop its "anti-union activities."

Medina said Station Casinos told him he was fired after four years for being late to work. He claimed he was fired for trying to organize and for wearing a pro-union button.

Over the last few months, the union has protested outside a number of other companies that do business with or own a stake in Station Casinos, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. branches and Bagel City.

"Trying to sabotage our restaurant tenants at their other locations in Las Vegas has nothing to do with their disingenuous claims of trying to protect team members; rather they're trying to negatively impact innocent third parties in an effort to coerce our company," Nelson said.

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at csieroty@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.