Senator Bernie Sanders is on the campaign trail, drumming up support for his bid to become the next President of the United States. On a recent stop in Las Vegas, mixed in with his fight for universal basic income and universal healthcare, Sanders took a few minutes to hit directly at an issue that is impacting the gambling city. He called out Station Casinos and its owners, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, for their repeated failure to recognize the legitimacy of the recently approved union at the Palms Casino Resort. The politician said that it was time for the Fertitta brothers to “stop ignoring the law” and to open dialogue with the employees.
Station Casinos is the third-largest employee in Nevada, and it has risen to the top by treating its employees unfairly, according to previous statements by various unions. Palms employees, like employees at other Station properties, had voted in April of last year to unionize and overwhelmingly supported the move, but the casino, and its parent company have continued to refuse to recognize the results. That refusal has already caused the National Labor Relations Board to assert that Station is violating the law.
The Fertitta brothers have argued that they have the right to protest the unionization, which is inaccurate. However, they have friends in Washington to help them support their position, including sitting president, Donald Trump, who has received $2 million through a pro-Trump Super PAC (political action committee), America Action First, Inc.
Sanders isn’t the first presidential candidate to weigh in on the union controversy with Station. Julian Castro, another Democrat, said early in July that the company needs to reconsider its stance, and offered support for the unions and the employees. He stated, “I want to commend [Culinary Union Local 226] for the great work that they’re doing representing employees of Station Casino. I want to encourage Station Casinos and your six properties to negotiate in good faith with your workers who have already voted to unionize.”
Given that the Fertitta bros. are too busy buying yachts or real estate, they probably haven’t even seen the messages. If they have, based on the non-reaction to date, the messages are falling on deaf ears.
