BARTENDERS REJECT THE UNION

On Wednesday April 8, 2009, about 340 workers that serve alcohol in Foxwoods Resort Casino voted on whether to be represented by Local 371 of the United Food and Commercial Worker's Union.

The Union went through the Mashantucket Pequot Nation's proper channels to ask for the vote to take place. The results were 207 against the union and 133 for the union. The union is seeking to unionize about 400 workers. About 371 actually voted.

Michale Speller, President of Foxwoods Resort Casino and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods said, "We are very pleased with the vote of confidence that these employees have given the beverage department management today."

Speller also said, "These team members displayed extraordinary professionalism throughout the weeks leading up in the election and clearly agreed that having an outside organization come between us was not necessary. The entire management team looks forward to an exciting future where we will do everything we can to make Foxwoods even better for all of our employees and our guests."

Brian Petronella, the President of UFCW said, "I am very pleased with the outcome of the vote, based on Foxwoods anti-union campaign and I'm hopeful that within the next few months we'll have another election through the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board)."

The way I understand it, under the Mashantucket Pequot's law the unions can not put this up for a vote for at least one (1) year. Under the National Labor Relations Board, the vote could be conducted as early as the next day. The NLRB allow one thing and the tribal law is another thing.

It was good to see that the workers at the Foxwoods casinos were allowed to vote on whether they wanted the union to represent them. It was good to see that both management and the unions behaved properly. The workers have spoken by their votes. The union should respect the decisions of the workers. The union should respect the laws of the tribe. The tribe should respect the union. Will the controversy continue? What do you think?

In my opinion, it was a good day for the Mashantucket Pequots. What do you think?