April 11, 2007
Senators press union leader on change of tune on tribal organizing
Debra Gruszecki
The Desert Sun
SACRAMENTO -- The skirmish with labor unions continued today in the second wave of hearings on tribal gaming compacts before a state Senate committee.
Unite HERE! Leader Jack Gribbon repeated his request to halt any action on ratification of the compact amendments, which would allow up to 22,500 more slots in tribal casinos across the state.
That increase includes more than 8,000 new slots in the Coachella Valley -- at casinos owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Agua Caliente and Morongo leaders testified Tuesday.
The leader of the 450,000-member union representing hotel, casino and needle-workers, said “We ask you to support the most vulnerable people in the state,” this morning in the hearing on the request to add slots for Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and San Manuel Band of Missions Indians.
The compacts did not pass in 2006 – following last-minute labor opposition and lobbying.
This time, however, in the stand-room-only hearing room, today state Sens. Jim Battin R-La Quinta and Jeff Denham R-Merced grilled union leaders on the differences between the Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance struck in 1999, which allows workers to organize through a secret ballot systems. The Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance is in effect at local casinos as part of the compacts approved in 1999.
Unite HERE! wants a “card check” system, allowing organizers to approach workers if they sign a card.
Tribes say that the secret ballot method that is part of the 1999 compacts allows workers to organize if they want.
Battin led a news account from the 1999 Los Angeles Times coverage of the tribal compact approval. The article said that Gribbon supported the secret ballot, or Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance passed then.
“What's changed?" Battin asked.
Gribbon was quoted in the LA Times at the passage of the 1999 compacts as saying, "It's finished. It's done...it's a significant compromise with labor."
An observer watching the proceedings today in the overflow crowd uttered "Ouch!" when closed circuit TV broadcast that portion of the hearing to the hallway.
Gribbon said the secret ballot matters were discussed clear through 4 a.m. in 1999 and that then-Senate Pro Tem John Burton D-San Francisco and then-Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa D-Los Angeles, both noted for their strong support of labor, approached and said it was the best they could do.
Gribbon told today’s hearing that he was advised at the time to support Proposition 1A for workers’ rights because it was the best they could do.
Unfortunately (since that time), Gribbon said today, some tribes have not shown good faith.
Battin and Denham both said they are hard-pressed to find cases where tribes have shut organization cases out.
The hearings and lobbying will continue throughout the day in Sacramento on the issue that has attracted supporters and detractors ranging from labor unions to business groups to social organizations and tribal nations.
Some time after noon today, petitions bearing more than 12,000 signatures are expected to be presented to the governor's office asking for no more slot expansion.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/UPDATE/70411008/1263/RSS01
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