Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada was seeing red today, literally, when hundreds of Transport Workers Union members rallied outside of the building wearing red “Support Your Dealer” tee-shirts and chanting, “No contract, no peace!”

“These dealers deserve dignity and respect, and a grievance process,” said TWU President James C. Little. “It is despicable the way they are refusing to give their dealers a contract.”

About 800 TWU members passionately marched up and down E. Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvds in front of Caesar’s Palace for more than an hour as Harrah’s executives looked on.

Dealers at Caesars Palace voted in December of 2007 by a 3 to 1 margin to be represented by Local 721 of the Gaming Division of the Transport Workers Union, but have been unable to bring long negotiations to a conclusion with a contract. After engaging in anti-union election tactics in 2007, Harrah’s Entertainment, the parent company of Caesars Palace, has stalled contract negotiations for its 600 dealers for nearly two years.

“Two years is too long,” said Joe Carbon, director of TWU’s Gaming Division, a phrase that became a favored chant by TWU members at the rally. Kanie Kastroll, a Wynn dealer and acting president of Local 721 added, “it shouldn’t take a federal law to get a fair contract.”

“Dealers are hard-working individuals who deserve a fair contract, as do all laborers in the United States,” said TWU Local 556 member Teri Queen.

Wynn and Caesar’s Palace dealers present at the rally expressed gratitude for the TWU’s efforts to win them fair wages and contracts. “We embrace all the members, officers and all the help that TWU has given to us,” said Josephine Tang, a Wynn casino dealer. “All the dealers in Las Vegas appreciate TWU’s help.”

“This is just another perfect example of how leaders of corporate America don’t believe their workers deserve the same kind of benefits that they receive themselves,” said Assistant Director of the Air Transport Division Bobby Gless.

On Tuesday, President Obama is expected to endorse the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in a speech to the national AFL-CIO convention. EFCA would mandate that employers and unions enter into binding arbitration if agreement could not be reached on a first contract in a timely manner. Harrah’s would be outlawed. EFCA is expected to go to Congress as soon as a replacement is named for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

A large gathering of casino dealers, TWU members and other supporters of the right of gaming workers to form unions will protest in front of Caesars Palace tomorrow at 4 p.m. PST and 7 p.m. EST.

Dealers at Caesars Palace voted in December of 2007 by a 3 to 1 margin to be represented by Local 721 of the Gaming Division of the Transport Workers Union, but have been unable to bring long negotiations to a conclusion with a contract. Harrah’s Entertainment, the parent company of Caesars Palace, after engaging in anti-union election tactics in 2007, has stalled contract negotiations for its 600 dealers for nearly two years.

“Two years is too long,” said Joe Carbon, director of TWU’s Gaming Division. Kanie Kastroll, a Wynn dealer and acting president of Local 721 added, “it shouldn’t take a federal law to get a fair contract.”

On Tuesday, President Obama is expected to endorse the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) in a speech to the national AFL-CIO convention. EFCA would mandate that employers and unions enter into binding arbitration if agreement could not be reached on a first contract in a timely manner. Harrah’s would be outlawed. EFCA is expected to go to Congress as soon as a replacement is named for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Check twu.org for footage of the protest on Friday, September 18.

In addition to formation of the new TWU/UAW/SEIU/AFL-CIO Gaming Workers Council, the AFL-CIO Executive Council passed a resolution at its most recent meeting calling on all gaming employers to stop violating federal labor law and to begin bargaining in good faith.

The resolution stated: “The gaming industry long has been known for providing good union jobs with stable employment, solid wages and benefits. While that reputation is deserved for certain portions of the workforce, thousands of gaming workers do not enjoy the security of union contracts.”

The resolution continued: “In the past two years, dealers, slot technicians and other gaming workers who traditionally have not been organized have formed unions, won elections and in some instances are bargaining contracts. In New Jersey, Connecticut, Nevada and Indiana, these workers have waged heroic fights to win justice and a real say in their working conditions. “Unfortunately, employer opposition stands in the way of achieving real justice. Casino owners have fired worker-activists, intimidated workers during elections and refused to bargain despite overwhelming union victory margins in certified National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) elections.”

The resolution urged statewide elected leaders to wield their influence to break the bargaining logjam.

Union leaders from TWU, the United Auto Workers (UAW), the Service Employees (SEIU) and the AFL-CIO this month announced formation of a Gaming Workers Council to expand current organizing efforts for table game dealers and to achieve first contracts for properties already organized.

The announcement took place at a press conference at the UAW hall in Atlantic City.  AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo, SEIU International President Andy Stern and UAW Secretary Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn represented their respective organizations at the event.

AFL-CIO President Sweeney said that the new coalition will add power to gaming workers “who are courageously pursuing their dreams.  We will be stepping up our efforts to ensure that these gaming workers receive the contract they deserve—and they shouldn’t have to wait another day.”

TWU’s Lombardo added:  “The casinos we are dealing with were once Nevada-only businesses but today are national and multinational in their reach. If we are to best represent workers in the gaming industry, unions need to take a national, and perhaps global, approach and that is exactly what we are doing today.”

"This is about workers," said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn.  "It’s about workers who have had their hours reduced, who are paying more for health care, who have lost their seniority rights, and who have been shut out at the bargaining table by casino executives who make millions of dollars a year." "Let there be no misunderstanding.  We stand side by side with the women and men who have formed their own unions to ensure the gaming industry hears their voices and does right by them," said SEIU President Andy Stern. "We hope the power of persuasion will bring the casinos to the bargaining table, but if it takes the persuasion of power to bring these workers justice, we will be by their side."

In addition to new organizing drives, the council will assist in bargaining efforts on behalf of casino workers in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Indiana, Connecticut and elsewhere who have voted to form their own unions and are fighting to win first contracts. The council members also plan to reach out to hundreds of thousands of unorganized casino workers and communicate about working conditions in the gaming industry to union members, the public, elected officials, casino regulators and investors.

TWU won drives at Caesars Palace and Wynn Las Vegas in the past year, but management at both properties is stonewalling collective bargaining efforts. The UAW has had similar organizing successes in Atlantic City at the Tropicana, Trump Plaza and Bally’s with similar problems at the table.