HARRAH'S RESORT PAGE

Pending sale causes many to fear for jobs By Liz Benston Las Vegas Sun The pending sale of Harrah's Entertainment is fueling great uncertainty among its employees. They are seeking reassurance that their jobs are safe, but as a look inside the company shows, that reassurance is impossible to give. The $90-per-share buyout would net millions for departing executives and other lower-rung employees leaving the company with stock and options now worth two and three times their original price. Still, the deal leaves many employees who helped the company grow dramatically over the years to wonder whether they will be needed in a slimmed-down operation that focuses more closely on profit. The indicators aren't reassuring. Trimming overhead is a common strategy for private equity firms. "Everybody else cuts staff in a buyout. Why should they be any different?" said Keith Schwer, director of UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research. "Otherwise these (private equity firms) are not going to buy the company," Schwer said. "They see value by cutting. You're going to get rid of people who were there for the long haul who for the time period they will own the company are not essential."

Recently, the GM of Harrah’s Resort, R Scott Barber sent a letter to all Harrah’s Resort dealers and dual-rates.  He touted  his accomplishments since becoming GM in that letter and the one he sent out in May.  The most recent letter had several bullet points prefaced with the word ”FACT” in bold type.  Near the end of the letter he doesn’t ask, but TELLS the reader,  “I would also state that they can make all the promises they want, but the collective bargaining process involves two parties that have to agree for a promise to become a reality.  I can guarantee that we would not agree to anything which would cause us to have a competitive disadvantage in the market.  This is serious stuff - the livelihood for you and your family is at stake.  Don’t submit to the UAW’s false promises and emotional pleas.  Make your decision based on the facts!”    FACT -  The UAW promises nothing more than support and resources, that’s it.  WE, the organizing body, ARE the UNION, and it is we as a group that decides what it is we will include in OUR proposal.    FACT -  Last November Mr. Barber summoned three dealers into his office a day or two after his anti-union meeting.  He told them to their faces that he would NOT do anything to make the dealers happy and that if they didn’t like it they needed to go work somewhere else (paraphrased from one of the dealers summoned).  However, since then, in reaction to our campaign we have many of us received merit raises, the annual evaluation raise is increased from 3% to 25 cents, full time dealers get an extra shirt (which wardrobe doesn’t have), the salary cap has been raised to $12 and 32 dealers including myself have been promoted to full time.  We have this because of our campaign to organize!  It can be taken away just as quickly as it was given, unless of course we have a contract.    FACT - Last fall Harrah’s did a card check for the EVS employees. A card check is another means of getting a union.  Management basically invites the union in so long as there are enough representation cards signed, 50% plus one person.  But he is trying to keep the dealers from organizing.  Does Mr. Barber see a difference between those human beings who work in EVS and the human beings in our games department?    FACT -  We are not anti-anything, rather we are PRO-DEALER.  We like our jobs, for the most part, and want to make sure we can protect them and improve them.  New Jersey is an “AT WILL” state, meaning we work only because management let’s us,  they DO NOT need any reason to fire or lay-off anyone.    FACT - The process of organizing starts with the UAW representation card.  By signing a card to support organizing a union you already have some union protection.  Once enough cards have been signed to show the UAW and the National Labor Relations Board that there is enough interest among the workers a petition is filed with the board to hold an election.  Once a petition is filed all working conditions existing at the time are locked-in.  An election is scheduled for within 30-45 days.  On the day of the vote each dealer and dual-rate will have a chance to vote YES or NO or not vote.  At the close of the vote the votes are counted.  To win we need 50% plus one person of the total number of people who vote.      Once the election is won, committees are formed among the newly organized members, including our negotiating committee, who we will elect and any member can run for the job.  Also, every dealer and dual-rate will get a survey of the things that can be included in the contract.  Everyone has input into creating our proposal.    Next come negotiations, which can take a short time or a long time, there’s no way to predict.  Upon conclusion of negotiations, all members will have a chance to read and ratify the contract.  A majority of the members must approve it before it gets signed or back to negotiations.  Once the contract is signed, it is 30 days before anyone pays union dues, at that point we will be UAW members in our own union in Atlantic City, autonomous from the UAW International, but with all there resources and support of the International.    FACT - As long as my name is on the schedule I will continue organizing.  James Pitts Harrah’s Resort Organizing Committee

Caesar's negotiations began on August 9, 2007 at 10:00 AM. The elected Bargaining Committee will attend each and every meeting with management.  These negotiations are not about luck. It is about each side BARGAINING IN GOOD FAITH with the mutual goal of attaining a Labor Agreement that benefits the employer and the employees. KNOW THIS, WHEN 2,000 PLUS UAW MEMBERS AT CAESARS AND BALLY'S STAND TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY AND SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE, YOUR EMPLOYER WILL LISTEN!	NO MORE REASONS TO FEAR!   Atlantic City Hilton Found "GUILTY" of Employee Rights Violations Re: Atlantic City Hilton Casino Case No. 4-CA-35301 July 16, 2007 In a settlement agreement between the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) and the Atlantic City Hilton, the NLRB determined that Hilton management violated our rights as employees during our organizing campaign in conjunction with our efforts to seek representation through the UAW. Included in these charges, the Atlantic City Hilton "has interfered with, restrained, and coerced employees in the exercise of their rights to seek representation guaranteed in Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act." This means all Floors, and Shift Managers, Pit Managers and Casino Managers etc. can not deny their employees the right to educate, speak and pass out literature about forming our union with the UAW during our breaks, lunch time, before and after work. Also management can no longer mislead workers that if they talk about forming their union they might lose their green card. This is not true and management must stop doing it. In reaching this settlement, the Atlantic City Hilton has agreed to post in the workplace a "Notice to Employees" admitting their guilt concerning these violations and outlining the changes in policy resulting from this settlement agreement. This "posting" has been viewed in several inconspicuous places. If one did not know that this posting was going to occur, and specifically look for it, you would most likely never see the "Notice". In essence, admitting guilt of violating their employees rights after the fact amounts to no more than a "slap on the wrist" for a company that found it necessary to spend millions - of - dollars - on - anti-union "consultants" in order to "buy" an election by a mere 25 votes. After all, having to post a settlement agreement in the workplace, which the vast majority of employees won't even notice, let alone read, is a small price to pay for the admission of guilt. Then again, management did make an effort by raising the dealers' salary cap to $12.00 per hour (as have most other houses in town) giving "hope" to the majority of dealers making the median wage of $6.50 per hour, that, with an average raise of $.35 per year, they may reach that $12.00 cap in approximately 16 YEARS. The fact is that without union/UAW representation management can make whatever policy decisions they wish, whenever and for whatever reasons they wish, regardless of the consequences, including violating our rights as employees and breaking the law. The one positive coming from our victory at the National Labor Relations Board is that during our next organizing campaign (and there will be a NEXT campaign) management will be held accountable for their actions regarding this settlement agreement and be forced to adhere to them. This proves that our rights are protected and have freedom of speech in our workplace just as we have in our local union hall.	Health and Safety committees are up and moving forward and have completed another session of training August 16, 2007 to have the ability to be aware of unsafe situations in the workplace. This also enables them to educate all their co-workers on what questions they might have and to ensure a healthy working environment.
The Curse of the Captive Audience Meeting As many approach the day of their election they are most certain to be subjected to captive audience meetings. What are these meetings and why are they held? Very simply, they are a means for management to exert total control over the workforce. It is interesting how one minute they will declare you a member of a family, and a very important one at that, and a moment later threaten to eliminate your position or lay you off. But, they care about you, remember that. You will notice that not all of your coworkers will be present at your meeting. Most likely you will be grouped by nationality, employment status or ethnic group. Most notably absent will be vocal union supporters, as your boss doesn't want his beautiful, hypnotic session of lies and empty promises disrupted by pertinent and probing questions. So because the supporters will be absent it is up to all of us to ask the boss the questions that take them off their strategy of intimidation, fear and misinformation. Questions like, "Why don't you want us to form a union?", "Why does it take so long to get a decent raise?", "Why are your profits increasing but my medical coverage is getting more expensive and covers less?", "Why do you negotiate with other unions in our house?", and "Why are you trying so hard to defeat your own people?" You will find after a few questions that the workers will have gained control of the meeting and the boss will be left speechless, unless he chooses to spew out more lies. Take control of these meetings and don't let the bosses turn others away from their issues.		DON’T VOTE AGAINST YOURSELF Let's keep things simple. Who is the union? We are the union. We are the ones responsible for coming together to exercise our right to organize and make our voice heard by management and to actually produce results, not solicit empty promises. We are the union. We are the UAW. The UAW did not come to Atlantic City's dealers. Atlantic City's dealers chose the UAW. These men and women at the hall regularly provide guidance and support, not government and supervision. Past efforts to unionize have failed. That is not the case today, thanks in large part to our brothers and sisters at the UAW, and all co-workers from all the houses in AC who assisted us in designing a blueprint for success. When you vote "yes" you are voting for every man and woman in your workplace. If you vote "No" you are voting against yourself. Proud to be UNION!
To all UAW members and future members. I am a UAW committee member from Trump Plaza. We along with other men and women across the city are in the process of changing the way Atlantic City has treated us for years. AS FOR US AT TRUMP PLAZA we are just waiting for all the appeals to be finished. Even though we are disappointed with the manner in which Trump Plaza handled our UAW victory, I am very proud of how my fellow co-workers have handled themselves through this situation. We will endure these delays and move forward to form a true partnership with Trump Plaza through the process of collective bargaining.