Culinary Union plans Friday picket at the Palms
Culinary Union officials say 1,000 people will picket in a demonstration Friday at the Palms.
A spokeswoman for Culinary Union 226, the state’s largest labor organization with 57,000 members, is protesting Palms management’s failure to acknowledge unionizing efforts at the 702-room off-Strip resort that opened in 2001.
“Palms Casino Resort is proud of our team members and we value our direct relationship with them,” a Palms spokesman said in an emailed statement.
“Of course, Palms respects the law at all times concerning the right to engage in protected activities including lawful organizing,” he said.
Culinary officials say they will gather from 5-7 p.m. at the property at Flamingo Road and Arville Street.
Union leaders say they expect Palms workers as well as employees from the non-union Trump, Aliante and Station Casinos properties to join in the demonstration.
Union officials say Democratic state Sen. Ruben Kihuen, a candidate for Congress in District 4, has been invited to the rally.
An organizing committee say they delivered a petition in June to CEO Todd Greenberg, asking him to stay neutral in the bid to unionize. In September, a group of local religious leaders delivered a second petition asking management to allow a union vote. Officials say the requests were rejected.
Culinary officials say union labor is a standard in the resort industry, but several properties have resisted unionization efforts.
The Palms, which has two towers, was built by the Maloof family which currently holds a 2 percent share in the property. The majority owners are two private equity partners, TPG Capital, San Francisco, and Leonard Green & Partners, Los Angeles.
The property may be best known for its two-story Fantasy Suites that are among the most expensive in the world to rent.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta
