Taking a stand

It’s fair to say Station Casinos and the Culinary Union are not the best of friends. The two bodies have repeatedly locked horns over the past few years, and 2023 already seems no different.

Hundreds of people gathered outside Station Casinos’ corporate headquarters

Disgruntled Station Casinos staff members took to the streets on Thursday to draw attention to their grievances with their employer. Hundreds of people gathered outside Station Casinos’ corporate headquarters in Las Vegas carrying large signs demanding union contracts.

The signs deemed the gaming operator – which owns Red Rock Resort, Palace Station, Green Valley Ranch Resort, and other properties – “unfair.” Culinary secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge said the aim of Thurday’s picket was to draw attention to the company’s lack of “good faith” in bargaining over contracts.

A list of demands

After the Culinary Union pushed for representation votes at multiple Station Properties, National Labor eventually ordered Station Casinos parent Red Rock Resorts to bargain with the body in 2021. Those discussions are ongoing, but the Culinary Union believes its demands are not being given the attention they deserve.

Pappageorge has pushed forward the union’s action against Station Casinos since taking over the reins for the body last year. Commenting this week, he said: “It’s really a shame that this company claims to be a beneficial part of this community to take on its own workers like this.” He went on to urge the business to “sit down and negotiate a fair contract.”

The knives are out

The Culinary Union has made very clear its disapproval of the way Station Casinos runs its business.

failed to adhere to federal labor law

In March last year, this all came to a head when the union issued a statement urging the Nevada Gaming Control Board to investigate the casino company. It argued that Station Casinos had failed to adhere to federal labor law and should have its license suitability assessed as a result. Pappageorge cited ample documentation evidence of the firm’s offenses.

A Station Casinos spokesperson fired back by questioning the union’s alleged inability to “win the hearts and minds of our team members.” The Culinary Union “just continue with their harassment and their thuggish attempts to intimidate Station Casinos,” the email response read.