Nevada Gaming Commission's onerous rules not the only obstacle to some casinos reopening

[go_buccos]

https://www.reviewjournal.com/busine...nough-2021517/

I was going to bring this up on my call-in to radio this past weekend, (about the 3:02:00 mark) but at that time I had only heard rumors and didn't have any hard evidence to back them up. Now, I do.

For those not familiar, the Culinary Workers Union represents something like of 90% of the rank-and-file employees at the Strip casinos, as well as some others downtown and elsewhere in Nevada. (They have a pretty heavy presence in Laughlin as well. Not sure about Reno.) It is probably the most powerful single labor union in the country when it comes to influencing local and state government policy, and rest assured it will have an outsized influence on how all this winds up going down.

I had heard that it was more or less the union's intent to keep the casinos closed as long as possible. I thought that was odd at first but the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense. Per the terms of the contract, the workers' employment is guaranteed for a substantial amount of time at full pay and benefits in a situation like this. I'm not sure what the exact time horizons are, but it's at least 90 days for the pay, and MUCH longer for the benefits.

If the casinos are still shut when the pay horizon runs out, the employees simply go on the government dole while still collecting their benefits.

In this article, the Culinary takes issue with the following seven-page NGCB document listing the reopening guidelines:

https://gaming.nv.gov/modules/showdo...cumentid=16731

It then goes on to praise the Wynn's TWENTY-THREE page reopening plan, while still calling it inadequate:

https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/...ealth-plan.pdf

It then rolls out its own list of demands, some of which would take literally years to develop and implement. To wit:

-"...contactless and cashless tipping systems for guest service providers-such as bellpersons, valets, doorpersons, guest-room attendants and room service attendants-should be provided..."

This one takes the cake though:

"— If COVID-19 has been detected at any time during the preceding 14 days in the state or province where the facility is located, no employee should be compelled to accept work. Any employee electing not to accept work should be considered to be on involuntary layoff. Employers should not challenge applications for unemployment benefits by employees subject to such involuntary layoff. Such employees should be permitted to return to work at any time according to regular scheduling practice."

So let's say it's the summer of 2022 and the virus is largely a memory. I'm a valet attendant at Bellagio and I hear of a single rogue COVID case that popped up 400 miles away in Reno the previous week. I can then refuse to show up to work, go back on the government dole (while still getting my benefits) and go back to work whenever I feel like it.

These are going to be non-starters for these casino companies. This is going to get very, very messy.

[Dan Druff]

Wow.

We will talk about this development on radio on Saturday.

100% you're correct, the unions don't want to go back to work right now.

What a mess for the casinos. I think they might just stay closed, between this bullshit and the fact that they may not be able to run profitably with all the restrictions in place anyway.

[splitthis]

WSOP in October is a pipedream since it is a global phenom.

[TheXFactor]

The casinos will provide free coronavirus testing for their employees but that's it.

Work at your own risk, the employees will sign another contract saying that if they get coronavirus on the job, that they will not sue.

All guest must sign a form as well that they will not sue the casino if they get coronavirus.

I'm not sure if Las Vegas casinos will eliminate parking fees to bring locals. The Las Vegas strip properties said "fuck you" to locals years ago. Will California visitors return? Not if they are still under lockdown.

The convention business is fucked for the foreseeable future. All conventions will be cancelled for 2020. They may not return in 2021. Business travel is cancelled for most businesses as well.

[blake]

a couple things:

the extra $600 the government gives for unemployment won't last forever. pretty soon, the union workers will need to go back

also if the workers don't want to go back, the majority of them will be in luck as when the casinos reopen, they'll be doing so on a bare minimum staff until the customers fully return.

the bulk of these workers may be laid off for the rest of the year at a minimum.

it's not going to be a choice for them.

[OSA]

Negotiations are about asking what you can't get and then accepting what you can to make it look like a win for both parties.


Pandemic Unemployment runs out of cash end of July. Well see what happens then