Culinary blames buyout for job losses at Station

The Culinary union jumped back into Station Casinos' bankruptcy case Thursday by announcing that it had formed organizing committees at all 10 of the company's hotel-casinos and claiming that its 2007 management-led buyout is costing workers their jobs.

The locals gaming company, which announced Thursday morning that it has reached an agreement in principle with its key lenders on a reorganization plan to bring the company out of bankruptcy, dismissed the union's complaints as "disingenuous." In a statement, the gaming company said the union leadership should instead be focusing on trying to find jobs for members who have been laid off because of the economic downturn.

"We recognize and respect our team members' right to be represented by a union if that's what they choose to do," said Scott Nielson, Station Casinos' executive vice president and chief development officer. "But we're amazed that the union leadership has decided to expend its member's dues in attempting to organize our team members instead of trying to find jobs for the thousands of Culinary union members who have been laid off during this recession."

The union and Station Casinos traded barbs Thursday after hundreds of people claiming to be Station Casinos employees gathered at Culinary Local 226 headquarters to meet with union organizers. The Culinary said it has informed the company's creditors and the National Labor Relations Board about its organizing efforts.

The union this week said it also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board accusing the locals gaming company of anti-union activities. According to the union, Station Casinos "violated federal labor law in over 100 incidents by threatening, surveilling, physically assaulting and intimidating workers for their union activities."

Nielson said the company is unaware of any unfair labor practices charges filed against the company.

The union claims hundreds of workers have lost jobs with the company since it was taken private in November 2007.

Culinary President Geoconda Arguello-Kline said the buyout is largely to blame for Station Casinos' current problems with employees.

"The company and the workers are in a very difficult position right now because the 2007 buyout increased the company's debt and left it unable to weather the economic downturn," Arguello-Kline said. "The company is making decisions that affect these workers' lives and their ability to take care of themselves and their families. The workers didn't create this mess, but they are suffering as a result. We are going to do everything we can so they can achieve the respect they deserve and take care of their families with dignity."

Dawn Vaseur, a union organizer and cocktail waitress for 10 years at Santa Fe Station, said employees' relationship with Station has turned very bad .

"When the company first started out with the family, it was a nice cozy relationship with the workers," Vaseur said. "But it's changed. It's like in a marriage where you start out and have a nice relationship and suddenly it becomes cold and callous. He tells you he loves you, but his actions are not showing it."

Vaseur called the firing of co-workers when coffee shop operations and the uniform department were outsourced as the last straw that turned her toward the union.

"I had really been on the fence, not really pro or con," Vaseur said. "But I saw what was happening and everybody's really nervous and afraid. I decided I'm not going to be afraid anymore."

Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson denied that coffee shop workers were fired and said all the workers were offered jobs with Denny's and Coco's at similar pay and benefits, and that many of them accepted those positions.

Nielson also dismissed union suggestions that it can protect workers' jobs.

"The facts demonstrate that the Culinary union has not, and cannot, provide job security for its own members," Nielson said. "It's disingenuous at best for them to tell our team members that they can provide job security for them."

The union, an affiliate of UNITE HERE, represents nearly 55,000 casino workers, mostly on the Strip and downtown.

Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.