The ongoing conflict between Station Casinos and the Culinary Union in Las Vegas has escalated to the US Supreme Court. On September 4, Chief Justice John Roberts denied an emergency request by Station to stay a decision from a federal appeals court. This ruling mandates that Station's Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in Summerlin must engage in good faith negotiations with the Culinary Union following a contentious labor vote that took place in late 2019. Roberts did not provide an explanation for his decision.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Red Rock took steps to undermine a fair union election, leading to a lawsuit by Red Rock. Last month, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the NLRB's ruling after denying Station's request for a rehearing on August 6, and subsequently rejected the casino's request for a stay on August 24.
Station Casinos may still appeal to the Supreme Court, but for now, they are required to comply with the NLRB's orders, which include recognizing and negotiating with the union as well as posting employee rights notices.
"The NLRB decision overturned the clear vote of Red Rock team members rejecting the Culinary Union," Station stated. "The decision prevents any company from granting benefits to its employees if it is aware of union interest in unionizing the company’s employees and nullifies the Red Rock team members’ vote to be union-free, all because Station Casinos treated its team members too well."
The fracas traces back several years, marked by media exchanges, regulatory complaints, and various court disputes. A significant turning point occurred in December 2019 when Red Rock employees voted against unionization by a narrow margin of 627-534 after Station had announced a major benefits overhaul for its 14,000 employees just days earlier. The union's petition to represent Red Rock workers followed closely after the benefits announcement, creating contention regarding the fairness of the election.
Despite the ongoing struggle at Station, the Culinary Union has made political headway, as the entire Las Vegas Strip is now unionized. In late 2023 and early 2024, Culinary successfully utilized city-wide strikes to negotiate multi-year labor agreements with key operators like Wynn, Caesars, and MGM.
In a notable shift, Las Vegas Sands, a significant non-union entity for years, ratified its first-ever contract with the Culinary Union in 2024 following the sale of the Venetian-Palazzo to Apollo Global Management in 2021.
Political affiliations have intensified the rivalry; Station Casinos is owned by the Fertitta family, well-known for their Republican donations, while Culinary mainly represents Democratic interests. Recently, former President Donald Trump visited Red Rock for a rally, lauding the Fertittas, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Culinary Union. They condemned the event and questioned Governor Joe Lombardo's support of Station and Trump's policies. The union's statement asserted, "As Lombardo runs for re-election in a state built and run by unionized hospitality workers, Culinary Union is demanding to know why the governor stands with Station Casinos and Trump’s harmful economic agenda instead of fighting and delivering for the working people who power Nevada’s economy."
