|
The Meetings |
|
DEBATE CHALLENGE Instead of holding more disinformation meetings, if Harrah's honestly wants for us to be fully informed, they would debate Joe Carbon, TWU Director of Gaming Division, and TWU Representative, Steve Roberts, in front of all Dealers. Given Harrah's continuing stream of half-truths and avoidance of discussing the benefits of Union membership, it is not likely that they will allow a more open dialogue than their captive audience meetings. Like LakeTahoeDealers.com, Joe and Steve will set the record straight in a debate! Hour-Twenty Meetings Here are arguments made during our hour-twenty "consequences" meetings for not using the successful Nevada casino standard of 60 minutes on, 20 minutes off which had been in place for generations here at Lake Tahoe. Correcting Management's Bad Assumption Management overlooked something obvious. We could make more money by going back to "hours," because we make more money when we are more enthusiastic. We have more fun, players have more fun, and they tip us more in the process! Management assumed that we would each lose money because there would be more people drawing from the toke pool. They did not factor the greater amounts that enthusiastic Dealers contribute. Shingle Springs Management suggested that the casino opening in Shingle Springs this fall will have a negative impact on our business and our tokes. They did not mention what this could do to our jobs! This is their opportunity to step forward with a legally binding guarantee that they will not layoff Dealers. Hiring More Dealers Management claimed that it would have to hire more Dealers to cover the extra shifts available. If they were truly representing Dealers, they would already have offered more shifts to current part-time employees before looking outside of the company to fill the shifts. Craps Dealers Management told Dealers who prefer Craps that there would be fewer shifts available on the game. Again, they left out some information. 1. Amount of actual Craps game time available for Dealers will not change. 2. Dealers on Craps would be dealing PURE CRAPS...no "cards hookup." 3. No more being stuck on the stick for 40 minutes while a BJ-only dealer takes their break. 4. If Management truly wants Craps Dealers to have more time on the game, why are they running another Craps school, bringing more people into the mix? Slow Shoulder Season Our current management overlooked the previous solution for our slower shoulder seasons. There used to be a system that made many of us very happy. It was called Company Convenience Leave of Absence. Why did they not mention this? Is it because CCLOA costs Harrah's more money than squeezing every minute out of Dealers by overworking us with hour-twenties? The Biggest Issues? Management told us that tokes and scheduling are our biggest issues. Why, then, has Harrah's not provided a guarantee that it will not seize our tips for redistribution? Harrah's has spent over 100 hours on this website, but apparently Harrah's has no time to spend on legitimate promises that our tips are safe! If Harrah's wants to commit itself to giving us the best schedules available, then why not offer more shifts to our Part-Time Dealers? Why not offer C.C.L.O.A. to those who would like to be scheduled extra time off during the slow season? Why not provide a schedule which has us on our games for only one hour, like it was here since the 1950's? U.S. Economic Recession Harrah's business in Lake Tahoe, throughout its incarnations, has survived all times quite well since the 1950's. There have been prosperous times, a President assassinated, men on the moon, wars, the 200th birthday of the U.S.A, the bombing of Harveys, a terrorist attack, and also recessions. During all of these times, Dealers at the Lake Tahoe properties did not work hour-twenties, recessions or not. Hour-twenties are simply not necessary for our well-being; they are detrimental to it. "Layers" As another reminder of her lack of legal ability to represent us, our newly promoted Director of Casino Operations (Congratulations!) mentioned that if she wanted approval to change the current situation, she would have to put it through "layers" above her. She is a good person, and she does her job well, but she is not legally our representative and has an inherent conflict of interest in her roles that are at odds with one another. Ultimately, she MUST follow the orders of the "layers," not us.
It is the upper "layers," especially TPG, that are the concern here.
TWU must follow OUR orders. That, friends, is how it works.
First Captive Audience Meetings Here is a breakdown of the Q&A sheet presented to us in the first meeting. These questions are as out of touch as our Regional President is with our issues. Q. Harrah's and Harveys in Lake Tahoe have existed since the mid 1950's. The Transport Workers Union hasn't been interested in our employees at our properties until November 2007. Why do they care about us now? A. In our opinion, they are interested in only one thing. Gaining new members and income through union dues. "Harrah's and Harveys have existed since the mid 1950's." Why, in all of that time, were hour-twenties not forced on Dealers until our current Director of Casino Operations came along? The answer of Harrah's is irrelevant, because it starts with the words "In our opinion." There is no fact, only opinion and biased speculation. You may read TWU's Constitution to find TWU's true motives. Q. What is Transport Workers Union? A. It is a Union whose International Headquarters is located in New York City. A large part of their membership are airline, railroad and transportation employees that include bus drivers and mechanics. Harrah's is currently owned by Texas Pacific Group/Apollo Management, neither of which are based at Lake Tahoe. One of Harrah's headquarters is in Tennessee. Clearly, discussing the location of TWU's headquarters is little more than a distraction. In its answer, Harrah's answer seemed to belittle bus drivers and mechanics. Do tell, Harrah's, what is your problem with some of the best compensated American workers in their respective jobs? Q. If the Union is elected to represent us in Lake Tahoe, can we still go to ***** to address issues we may have? A. We will always care about you and try to do the best that we can for you. However, things will be different if you are represented by a third party. We would not be able to make any special deals with you without union approval. What is the guarantee that ***** will even be here to "represent" us? There have been numerous changes in Management over the years, and this matter is addressed here. What are the guarantees that Harrah's will keep our current Director of Table Games on as our "representative?" Can Harrah's even guarantee that she will be here for the next month? Q. The dealer website implies that a union contract could bring better job security. Is that true? A. No. Unions do not provide job security. Working together to ensure a successful and profitable property provides all of us job security. Seriously, can Mr. President demonstrate that he knows what a Contract is? A contract DOES provide guarantees, and it is all in writing. With a good Contract, there is no need for special favors or begging. About layoffs, a Contract can provide terms for recalls. Q. Over the past four years, how many Dealers have been laid off? A. Since ***** has been in Lake Tahoe, over the past four years, we have laid off 0 Dealers. Additionally:
That is quite convenient for Harrah's to limit the scope of this question to the past four years. As stated on this site, our issues involve Management's decisions over the past ten years, since Gary Loveman became involved. Since the start of the cutbacks, there has been a significantly lower percentage of Dealers with company-provided medical insurance. That is a fact. Additionally, Harrah's is now owned by a private equity company with a history of slashing jobs. Our "representative" will not be able to stop the next layoffs. This question and answer are irrelevant. The issue at hand is the corporation's intrusion on our financial security, and how Gary Loveman's business model has left us without solid footing as frontline workers in a very profitable business. Again, Harrah's has limited the scope of this question to the past four years, whereas our issues have evolved over the past ten. Q. How many Dealers have been discharged in the last four years? A. Only 18 in the last four years. We do not discharge employees unless we have a valid reason. After discharging most of these employees, Dealers have commented "it was about time". This question has not been "frequently asked" anywhere. Mr. President, please stop the sideshows. Q. What is Harrah's doing to grow the business in Lake Tahoe. A. Several things that include:
This does not address a single Dealer issue and is little more than yet another sideshow. Harrah's can invest whatever it wants to bring business to our market, and its workers encourage our employer to improve the level of business in whatever ways that it can. What Harrah's does to promote its own business has nothing to do with our need to organize a Union as workers. With all of the money invested in growing the business here, why does Harrah's continue to do nothing about chips that test positive for lead on our games? Q. If I sign a Union Authorization Card, am I giving the TWU Power of Attorney? A. Yes, once signed you have given the TWU the right to represent you. The card is not just for the election. Harrah's answer to this question is a LIE! The card available on this site has little significance other than to have a vote for TWU representation. Harrah's will do whatever it takes to keep us from having proper representation, as Union representation typically leads to better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Q. The union authorization card asks me to provide my home address and telephone number. Why would the TWU ask me for this information? A. Union members will show at employees homes unannounced and call their homes during union organizing drives. They do not respect your privacy. We respect your privacy. This is yet another fear tactic of Harrah's. We were asked to provide the exact same information to Harrah's when we applied for our jobs, plus much more, like our Social Security number and the information of our previous employers. The simple fact is that Harrah's has required us to submit much more information than TWU requests. It is Harrah's that dragged us into lengthy mandatory meetings, and it is Harrah's that retains control over our wages and working conditions. Q. Harrah's has donated millions of dollars to organizations in Northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe since 1937. Most recently $150,000 to the Harrah's and Harveys Employee and Community Angora Fire Relief Fund and $100,000 to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department. Has the TWU headquartered in New York City donated anything in Northern Nevada? A. At this point, were not sure if they have ever donated anything to our community. This is yet another distraction and has nothing to do with our issues. They are trying to paint TWU as an uncaring organization. Exactly how much, Harrah's, are you spending on your Union busting campaign here? If it is the typical amount, you will have spent TWENTY TIMES the combined total of the two contributions listed above. That's right. Harrah's expenditures in its efforts to keep us from having more rights will likely dwarf the amount that it contributes to our community. TWU is a nonprofit organization. Here's another link to TWU's Constitution. Q. Why does the TWU have our medical clinic as one of their issues listed on their website? Do they not want us to have a medical clinic on property? A. The TWU states "We do not believe that it is appropriate for any of our medical information to be kept on our employers property. It is irrelevant how much money Harrah's saves on our benefits. We would like to choose our own doctors and treatments, thank you very much." People like to have choices. This matter will be addressed in depth as more information arrives. Q. If we vote to unionize, can we still use the medical clinic? A. It would all depend on what a union and Harrah's negotiated into a contract. Their opinion on this topic is pretty clear that they would prefer not to use the convenience of the clinic and choose their own doctors for you. This is a speculative question. No negotiations have taken place. Q. The union has asked you to sign a card. What proof have they provided that they will get you something? A. Our understanding is that they have not shown you anything. They have not shown you their health plan or pension plan, but want all of your rights for representation without providing any proof of what they can get you. TWU cannot, by law, provide guarantees of results of Contract negotiations. As stated in Harrah's propaganda leaflet, Harrah's has been around since 1937. They have not, over the past seventy (70) years, provided long-term guarantees for its employees! Why not? Q. Would you buy a car without a guarantee of proof that the car runs? A. We do not think so. Harrah's has provided us with no guarantees whatsoever. We have no guarantee that our tokes are safe. Lack of guarantees from Harrah's is the main issue. This question is irrelevant and has nothing to do with the NLRA. Why does Harrah's continue to create distractions like this? We are not stuck with any bad contract; we ratify our contract. Here is a more relevant question: Would you choose the guarantees that a good Contract provides, or would you choose to continue subjecting yourself to the whim of Management? Q. Should I sign a union authorization card of electronically consent to union authorization on my behalf through the internet? A. No! Not in our opinion. You should wait to hear all of the facts. Mane the union show you what they can get you. Ask what they have received after seven months of bargaining with Wynn Resorts. This is the first time in four pages of text where Harrah's uses bold print. Was the only goal of the meetings to prevent us from submitting our cards? Yet again, Harrah's answer uses the words "in our opinion." Do they not respect us enough to encourage us to be informed and develop our own opinion? Why were they so reluctant to say the name of this website? Q. Who represents us now? A. ***** and her Table Games Managers and Supervisors. Additionally, you represent yourself through Turn the Tables, EOS and *****'s open door policy. Your feedback has been implemented through the last few years. You do have a voice that is heard without third party interference. Additionally, you always have the opportunity to have your voice heard by our Regional President - **** ******. We are currently "represented" by the person who brought us hour-twenties from St. Louis. About "hearing" our voice, they apparently do "hear" us. The problem is that there's little evidence that they actually listen. Q. If the union was voted in, would we be guaranteed higher wages and increased benefits? A. No, if a union is voted in the only thing they obtain is the right to bargain on your behalf. They cannot guarantee any particular item. It is not legal for any Union to make any promises of what will be accomplished. By asking TWU to make promises in this regard, Harrah's is asking a nonprofit organization to break the law. The question is irrelevant. Q. If the union is voted in, could we lose some of our wages or benefits? A. Yes. During bargaining, all of the Dealers existing wages, benefits and working conditions are placed on the table. It then becomes a horse trade. You could get more, things could remain the same or you could lose benefits that you already have. Again, there are no guarantees. Without the Union, we lost our pay raises. It was not until there was the possibility of a Union at our workplace that Harrah's reinstituted our raises. Without a Union, Harrah's can change policy in nearly any way it desires without our consent. It is stated in our Employee Handbook, and is the core issue. Q. If the union is elected, what would happen to our 401K? A. It would be subject to negotiations; it may stay or be negotiated away. Unions generally want their own pension plan. They want to control you and your money. Have they shown you their pension plan? Without Union representation, our 401k is at risk of being taken away by one single unilateral decision by Management! Harrah's already controls us and our money. They just don't want to give us any control over our own future with the company. One thing that they neglected to mention is this. TWU will not tell us what to do. WE are the ones that TWU will be representing! We are the ones who tell TWU what we want! Q. Why is Harrah's and Harveys opposed to the union? A. We are more pro-employee than anti-union. We do not think it necessary for each of our Dealers to pay strangers who know nothing about our business hundreds of dollars each per year to represent you without a guarantee of what you will receive. Dealers have been non-union at Harrah's in Northern Nevada since 1937 and we believe it has worked out extremely well for our Dealers both past and present. That is a very good question. If Management thinks that our representation will be such a bad thing for us, they should look forward to "taking advantage" of us at the bargaining table. They should not be "opposed to the union" at all! Why were the meetings held if they think that Dealers have nothing to gain out of the process? Q. How many authorization cards must be signed in order for the NLRB to authorize a vote? A. 30% of all Dealers would have to sign authorization cards in order for a vote to take place. In our opinion, the best way for you to prevent a vote from occurring is to not sign or electronically consent to the TWU authorization cards. No signed cards = No Vote. 30% is what is required by law. Harrah's response to this question also involved the words, "in our opinion," which wanders from fact. Q. Should an election occur, how many votes does it take to vote the union in? A. 50% Plus 1 vote of all of the Dealers who vote. If only 10 Dealers decide to vote out of our hundreds of Dealers and 6 of the 10 vote for representation then the union would be voted in and would be representing all of our Dealers. Just like elections for government officials, the only requirement is a simple majority of those voting. Q. What will the company do for us (or what improvements will the Company give to us) if the union doesn't get in? A. First, you should understand that, under the law, the Company is not permitted to make promises as to what will happen if a union is not voted in. This could be considered a bribe in exchange for trying to get you to vote against the union. We refuse to do anything which will improperly influence you to vote against the union. We can promise you, however, that the Company is committed to providing its employees with competitive wages and benefits. We also promise you that we would never agree to any particular proposal that would make us uncompetitive. Just like TWU, "The company is not permitted to make promises..." The company can, however, make guarantees right now about job security, benefits, wages, and working conditions, but chooses not to. Why does Harrah's choose to refrain from making any guarantees to its loyal employees? Meeting #1, November 28-30 Management has only known about this site for a week, and we already got our pay raises back! We did not even have to bargain yet, and we already got a raise, and retroactively. This is not a "Christmas bonus." This is money that we earned. If they are so quick and responsive to our needs, then why did this take half of a year to correct? It appears that the mere prospect of a Union got us our raises back. Is there more where that came from? The meetings have started! Why are they so afraid? There was all of our executives' talk about "the website" and an avoidance of its true name. Why are they afraid of our side of the story being told? They have it. They know it. They spoke about it. They included it in on screen in their presentation. They just need to do one more thing. Management, when you refer to it, we would prefer that you say the name. Respect your employees by encouraging us to be informed. Debate Joe Carbon and Steve Roberts! By now, dealers have been fed with propaganda about how the Union only wants your money. You have been fed with an array of misinformation and blatant lies. Harrah's runs Union-busting campaigns like this, and fails, because Harrah's record speaks for itself. Caesars Palace Dealers won their election in a 380-128 landslide. The dealers of Bally's Atlantic City (Harrah's property) were subjected to a similar campaign, and voted in their Union 628-255. Even with a 2:1 ratio against them, Harrah's still challenged it. Caesars Atlantic City, also a Harrah's property, voted in theirs 572-128! They have experienced the same cost cutting that we have, and have put their foot down. The Big Lie Q. If I sign a Union Authorization Card, am I giving the TWU Power of Attorney? A. Yes, once signed you have given the TWU the right to represent you. The card is not just for the election. The above is a ridiculous assertion. They are grasping for straws. This is yet another fear tactic. They lied to us in the meeting, and they even put it in writing. We will set the record straight. Here is everything written on the card itself, and this is what you are signing. Request for Employee Representation Election Under the National Labor Relations Act. Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO (Please print clearly) I authorize the Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO to request the National Labor Relations Board to conduct an investigation and a representation election, also to represent me in all negotiations of wages, hours and working conditions in accordance with the NLRB. This does not obligate me financially in any way. --your information and signature-- This card is Confidential. Your Employer Never Sees It. It Goes to the U.S. Government. REMEMBER: These cards are CONFIDENTIAL. Your Employer WILL NEVER SEE THEM. These cards indicate your desire to have a union election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board among you and your co-workers. Signing this card DOES NOT OBLIGATE you financially to TWU. ...plus shift, property, and the address. Las Vegas Dealers Local 721 is in Nevada. Harrah's has a base in Tennessee. Its owners are from Texas. Please contact the NLRB if you are uncertain about anything. You may contact them through their website at www.nlrb.gov or at our regional office: Oakland
(Region 32) Harrah's is not an impartial advisor and will tell you whatever they can to maintain their absolute control over your wages and working conditions. Many of their statements are either a stretch or require the words, "in our opinion" in order to keep from breaking the law. Even if you sign your card, and even if there is an election, and even if we vote in our Union, you still are not financially obligated in any way. End of discussion. There is no picnic raffle here. That was another fear tactic. The only reason why they think that we can be so easily fooled is because Harrah's has been doing it to us and getting away with it, until now. It is Harrah's that has lied to you. We have not. Misinformation Dealers were lead to believe many things that simply are not true. Our President has mislead the facts through a careful path of misinformation and omission. Here are some of the more prominent ones. MYTH: We will be stuck with what is
negotiated. MYTH: We will all be forced to pay Union dues. MYTH: This whole Union thing is little more than buying the opportunity for a horse trade. (this one will be addressed soon) MYTH: Steve Wynn tried to give dealers their
tips back. MYTH: The situation with Wynn dealers has
gotten worse since they voted in their Union. MYTH: Unions were necessary 50 years ago, but
are not necessary today. Do you feel that your Union is necessary? Unlike Management, we encourage you to get the facts for yourself, and from the source, instead of claiming what this person who sat here or that person who sat there said in a previous meeting. Speak with Locals who are in Unions, and as many as you can. Get a better variety of information than from those whose professional cost-cutting interests conflict with our well being. 401k Mr. Loveman, if a former general manager was a mistake and not just a part of your cost-cutting strategy, then return everything that we lost during his tenure, starting with our 401k contribution. In our mandatory meetings, our Regional President trivialized our issues board, but this item was never discussed. This is one of our issues. We used to get a dollar-for-dollar match. Please return it. To Our Current Representative To our Director of Table Games, who is a very sweet lady. We are very sorry that this matter made you cry, but you are not involved in some of the executives' decisions. Our CEO is. This is an emotional issue for you, but a financial issue for us. This is nothing personal. If you are the one who effectively represents us, then please get us back our full 401k contribution, and retroactively, just like our pay raises. The industry standard is sixty minutes on, twenty minutes off, and the majority of the dealers prefer the industry standard as opposed to what was forced on us. Please stand up for us and get us back what we have lost. You and the gentleman spoke of how you can quickly respond to our needs without the need of TWU representation, so please stand up for us and represent. This is your opportunity to prove how responsive you are to our needs. Wynn Dealers Our President told us that Steve Wynn made a huge mistake with his toke issue. Prove that to us. Provide a legally binding document that will demonstrate that Harrah's will in no way, shape, or form ever implement any policy that resembles what happened at the Wynn. The people at our meeting challenged TWU to provide guarantees. It is also Management's turn to do the same. Guarantee us that there is no way that we will ever lose the situation that we have, whether it is tokes, vacations, pay increases, 401k, the cafeteria, or the medical clinic. Yes, the medical clinic. Management twisted words around and knows it. Make your promises that we will not lose one single thing that we currently have in the form of a legally binding document. This is your opportunity to represent.
There was talk, but no promise of this never happening. Do something to stop it from happening. What was not addressed by our President. He talked about how much Harrah's has invested in the Lake Tahoe properties, but he did not mention that Harveys chips still test positive for lead, and that these chips are still on our games. Harrah's has invested nothing in this safety issue. Why has Harrah's invested millions in planes and remodels, but we still have this work hazard? Is "Safety Chip" a "Slacker Backer" in disguise? Please give us a breakdown of the exact lead content of every variety of chip on both sides of the street, not just Harrah's. You may find these two issues listed independently under the "issues" tab. This is one place where they come together. Mr. President, please do not trivialize hazardous materials. You did not address this issue in the meetings. Why not? Think about how Harrah's capitalizes on fear. How many people from TWU have hassled you? How many people have knocked on your door? How many people dragged you into lengthy meetings? Harrah's is just using fear, their biggest weapon. If they wanted you to be properly informed with both sides of the issue, they would have no problem saying the name of this website. Those heavy-handed 90 minute meetings were much more of a hassle than reading a website in the comfort of your own home.
|
