Massachusetts: Tribe, Union Clash Over Foxwoods Vote
According to a recent story reported by the Chron.com:
HARTFORD, Conn. — The Mashantucket Pequots faced opposition from the United Auto Workers and National Labor Relations Board Tuesday as the tribe sought to overturn the results of a union election for dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The NLRB, which oversaw the Nov. 24 union election, began a hearing in Hartford on the tribe's contention that it failed to include ballots and election notices in two Chinese languages spoken by 700 workers.
The tribe also claimed the UAW intimidated workers as it sought to unionize them.
Foxwoods dealers voted 1,289 to 852 in favor of the UAW representing them. The vote followed a campaign on issues such as pay, health insurance and cigarette smoking by casino customers.
The hearing, which was packed with workers and union backers wearing "Yes Means Yes" buttons, is expected to last several days with testimony about the union campaign and election.
Tribal officials say the Mashantucket tribe and Foxwoods are not subject to the jurisdiction of the NLRB, though a federal court ruled in February 2007 that federal labor law applies to Indian tribes and their gambling businesses...click to continue.
