Station: Some $1.7 billion in construction went to companies with union workers

Over the past eight years, Station Casinos awarded more than $1.7 billion in construction projects to approximately 150 companies that use union workers.

So when Station Casinos Vice President of Construction Joe Haley found out this week that the Southern Nevada Building & Construction Trades Council asked its membership to boycott Station Casinos properties, he was "completely blindsided."

The move by the organization could cost its members future jobs with Station Casinos.

"It's a shame if we have to change what we do, but any relationship is built on trust," Haley said. "We have always had a good relationship with the building trades. But this came completely out of nowhere."

The organization is supportive of the efforts by Culinary Local 226 to organize a large chunk of Station Casinos' work force.

The undated missive to members signed by Building & Construction Trades Secretary-Treasurer Darren Enns comes as eight local construction companies employing union workers are involved in six remodeling projects at Station Casinos properties.

"It's true that a lot of work at Station Casinos went to union workers, but a lot of work went to non-union companies as well," Enns said Wednesday. "We would like to see Station Casinos settle their dispute with the Culinary."

The organization is backing the Culinary despite recent bad blood between the two labor groups. In 2009, the Culinary vigorously opposed construction of the new Las Vegas City Hall, a development backed by the building trades because of the jobs it would provide at a time when there was little construction taking place in Las Vegas.

Enns said unions are now "being attacked across the country and need to stick together."

The Culinary and its affiliated Bartenders Local 165 have been trying to organize roughly 5,000 of Station Casinos' 13,000 employees for several years.

The unions are using a ruling by an administrative law judge against the company as a weapon in their organizing effort. The judge said last September the National Labor Relations Board could hold a hearing on some 80 out of 400 claims of unfair labor practices against Station Casinos.

In his message to his membership, Enns said the Culinary has a history of success in organizing casino companies, and noted Station Casinos has fought back through a multimedia ad campaign that began last year.

"Success will show everyone that organizing can be done even over the opposition of the most powerful companies," Enns wrote. "When these unions win with our support, our alliance with them will be strengthened to our benefit."

According to Haley, Station Casinos has long insisted on using construction and building companies that employee union workers. A majority of the company's construction work, including the building of Red Rock Resort, Aliante Station and major expansions at Green Valley Ranch Resort, Santa Fe, and Fiesta Henderson went to companies using union workers.

Haley said Station Casinos is spending $1.3 million on projects at the Fiesta Rancho, Green Valley Ranch Resort and the three Wildfire casinos, all with union construction companies.

"It's not a lot of work right now, but we have a capital program that will mean more work will be out there," Haley said.

Enns said his organization won't ask union workers on the Station Casinos projects to walk off their jobs.

Haley said the company may reconsider its job-bidding process because of the building trades' stance.

"I guess it's something we have to evaluate," Haley said. "I talked with some of our (general contractors) and (subcontractors) and they were surprised. Nobody really understands why the union did this when we have such a good relationship."

Jamie Picini, owner of J & R Flooring, which recently completed work on the three new restaurants in the Wildfire casinos, said she was "taken aback" by the building trades boycott.

Picini said Station Casinos provided a "decent amount of work" for her company, which hires union employees. She called the boycott by the building trades "outrageous."

The Culinary has come under fire for planning to rally at 6 p.m. Thursday in front of Red Rock Resort, the same time the casino is hosting "The Night of the Gael" Bishop Gorman High School benefit. Richard Trumka, the national president of the AFL-CIO, is expected to attend the rally.

Bishop Gorman President John Kilduff asked Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor to cancel the rally in a letter Monday. Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith reported Wednesday that four local clergy members met with Culinary leadership Saturday in an attempt to talk them into postponing the rally.

In a letter to Kilduff, Taylor said the rally had nothing to do with the school and was an "unfortunate" matter of timing.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871.
Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.