Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 | 10:54 a.m.
In an attempt to step up the pressure for its first Las Vegas contract, members of the Transport Workers Union picketed the Tropicana hotel-casino Wednesday.
The TWU is attempting to negotiate Las Vegas' first-ever union contracts for casino dealers. It won elections at the Tropicana, Stratosphere and New Frontier early this year, and has been negotiating with those properties for the last eight months.
TWU organizer Frank Trotti said there has been "a little bit of gridlock" during negotiations with the Tropicana on such issues as dealer pay, grievance procedures and firing policies. Similar protests could follow at the Stratosphere and New Frontier, Trotti said.
"We felt we had to push them along to get this deal done," Trotti said. "We're just looking for a fair agreement. We're not going in there with crazy, outlandish stuff."
Trotti estimated 50 TWU members participated in protests Wednesday afternoon.
Trotti also said the union was angered by the layoff of 19 dealers at the Tropicana on Monday, layoffs it said were unnecessary. Trotti accused the casino of targeting TWU supporters, and said the union planned to file charges with the National Labor Relations Board.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Tropicana expressed "surprise and concern" at the TWU's protest. Tropicana President Hector Mon said, without elaborating, that claims being made by the union were "inaccurate and misleading."
"Given the difficult economic circumstances that we face and the job losses that we have experienced, we would hope the TWU would take into consideration what is in the best interest of all employees as opposed to pursuing empty public relation ploys that could cause further harm," Mon said. "Regardless of the TWU's actions, we will continue to meet with them in an attempt to come to a fair agreement."
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