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Petition filed to form union at Foxwoods

By Patricia Daddona
Published on 9/28/2007 in Home »Region »Region News

The United Auto Workers submitted a majority of the names of 3,000 dealers
at Foxwoods Resort Casino to the National Labor Relations Board Friday
morning.

At a press conference in Norwich, regional leader Bob Madore said the next
step is to bring a quick vote for a union at Foxwoods.

"We have well over the majority and this is the first time Foxwoods
(workers have) gone to the NLRB with the full support of workers seeking an
election," Madore said.

In a prepared statement, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns
and operates Foxwoods, said they do not believe federal labor laws apply to
the tribe, which is recognized as a sovereign nation by the federal
government.

"Our position remains that a union is not in the best interests of our
employees," the tribe stated. "The Tribe has always promoted and maintained
a pro-employee environment because it is the right thing to do. Employees
at Foxwoods currently enjoy many employee and labor protections resulting
from Tribal Laws passed over the last 15 years including the Tribal Labor
Relations Law, the Tribal Civil Rights Code and laws providing that
employment cannot be terminated except with just cause."

"The Tribe believes that its employees should have the right to say yes and
the freedom to say no to a union free from pressure from a union,
management or fellow employees. We believe employees should make any
decision based on the facts. Moving forward, we intend to communicate the
facts to our employees so an informed decision can be made."

The tribe and the company will review and take appropriate steps in
response to the petition, the tribe stated.