WE ARE THE UNION!
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WE ARE THE UNION!
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COMPANY PROPOSAL: ARTICLE 8 GRATUITIES The authority to modify or implement policies and procedures relating to the pooling and distribution of gratuities, including but not limited to sharing gratuities with non-bargaining unit employees and charging an administrative fee for handling and processing the gratuities, rests exclusively with the Employer. The Employer will not restrict the giving of gratuities, subject to the Employer’s rules and regulations, including but not limited to a prohibition on soliciting gratuities. Prior to any change in the method of pooling and distribution of gratuities, including to whom they will be distributed, the Employer shall provide the Union with notice of proposed changes five (5) days prior to their implementation. The Union shall have the right to counter, however, the final decision to implement changes shall rest with the Employer. [Open]
UNION COMMENTS/OPINION: This company proposal says that the company wants 100% control of our tokes and our toke by-laws. It says that they want to be able to redistribute our tokes to ANYONE they want to, which could include employees on other properties as well as ANY employee at Caesars Palace. We know what is happening at The Wynn and also at the Venetian/Palazzo. This has been their plan all along, to follow in Steve Wynn's and Adelson's footsteps. When asked if this was their intentions with their other properties, their answer was "We are here negotiating with the dealers at Desert Palace Inc. and will not comment on the other properties." When asked if this was also their intention with the other tip earners at Caesars Palace, such as the Culinary, they stated, "We can not comment on that. We are currently in a five-year contract with the Culinary." Quote from a memo placed in the Dealers' Lounge November 3, 2007 by Tom Jenkin, Harrah's Western Regional VP, during our Union campaign drive: "During our recent discussions, several of you spoke out against Wynn's policy of giving a percentage of dealers' tokes to supervisors. As we discussed at the time, neither I nor your executive management team at Caesars Palace support this practice, and we will not implement anything of the kind at any or our Las Vegas properties. Your tokes are your tokes, period. For me, this is an issue of basic fairness." Here is another quote from Mr. Jenkin, only this time it was sent in personalized letters to all of our homes on December 10, 2007: "Many of you asked that I reiterate my commitment to you about tokes, as I initially did in my November 3, 2007 memo. Neither I nor your executive management team at Caesars Palace support the policy of giving a percentage of dealers' tokes to supervisors. We have never considered, contemplated, intended, discussed, or even thought about sharing your tokes with supervisors. To be as clear as possible, your tokes are your tokes. Caesars Palace will maintain it's current policy. Dealers' tokes will not be shared with supervisors." Well, it seems that Mr. Jenkin, and the rest of "Harrah's" has changed their mind on what is "fair". This is EXACTLY WHY we voted for the TWU. You see, they can "change their mind" at any time. We would also like to add that in an early negotiation session, the attorney representing Caesars Palace, Gerald Eisohn, made the statement, loud and clear: "We want nothing to do with your tokes!" This statement is part of the minutes of the meeting. Before the Union drive at Caesars Palace, the VP of Casino Ops had seized control of the dealer's by-laws. He would no longer allow the dealers to pay out according to certain by-laws that the dealers had all previously agreed upon. He would not allow the dealers to vote for any new by-laws or changes to any by-laws as provided for within the by-laws. Essentially, Caesars Palace had already taken control of the dealer's tokes prior to the organizing effort. At one of the mandatory captive audience meetings held during the union drive, when the question about the dealer's by-laws came up, this same VP responded by saying, "It was me who did that, and it is not going to change". So, he told the dealers at Caesars Palace that they had lost control of their tokes already and there was nothing they could do about it. About a month after that meeting, Caesars Palace management decided to return the control of the dealer's by-laws to them. This was perceived as an act to persuade the dealers to vote no for the union. Instead, the dealers voted YES to union representation and therefore LOCKED IN the control of their by-laws by virtue of "status quo". The dealers at Caesars Palace only have control of their tokes today because they voted YES for the union. "Status Quo": The Dealers at Caesars Palace have 100% control of their tokes and toke by-laws. No other employee outside of the bargaining unit is provided with any of the tokes received by the dealers at Caesars Palace. See Union Proposal: Union Article 7: WAGES AND TOKES
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For More Information Please Contact Us At: email: TWULocal721.org or Call: Las Vegas Dealers Local 721 at: 702-476-0648 or Visit: 2770 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 510 Updated: April 21, 2010 © 2007-08 by TWULocal721.org All Rights Reserved |
