Union accuses Western Hotel of violating bargaining deal

The Culinary union is suing the Western Hotel and its operators, claiming the Western violated the collective bargaining agreement when it laid off union workers and transferred their work to a nonunion department.

The Culinary union lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, seeks arbitration and claims the union spent two years trying to work out a resolution with the Western's operators, PlayLV Gaming Operations.

"For two years, counsel for Local 226 has tried repeatedly by letter and by phone to request that the employer cooperate in selecting an arbitrator," the lawsuit says. "Employer repeatedly refused to select an arbitrator claiming the grievance had been settled."

The Culinary union claims no such settlement had been reached in the matter, which stems from the closure of change booths at the Western. Union employees classified as change-booth cashiers were laid off, while their work was transferred to the nonunion positions at the main cage, the lawsuit says.

Jacob Hafter, PlayLV's attorney, said he was surprised that the Culinary union sued and hoped for a swift resolution.