It’s Culinary vs. everyone else in labor spat

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/15/pilar/

By Tony Cook, Michael Mishak

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Long-simmering tensions between Nevada’s largest union, Culinary Workers Local 226, and other state labor organizations have spilled over to presidential politics and are now playing a role in Saturday’s Democratic caucus.

The biggest divide is between the Culinary and the state’s second-largest union, the Nevada State Education Association, which has filed a lawsuit that would make it harder for Culinary members to vote.

Other unions are simply hustling with renewed vigor to muster support for opponents of the Culinary-backed candidate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Some of those unions say they are motivated by a dual desire: to push their candidate to victory and to deal the Culinary an embarrassing blow.

Eight Nevada unions have endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Four are backing former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Three, including the Culinary, support Obama.

The rivalry among unions seeped into public view last week when the teachers union joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of nine at-large caucus sites on the Strip, which it says give Culinary members disproportionate sway. Those sites are intended to make caucusing more accessible to shift workers at casinos allowing them to participate without returning to designated caucus sites closer to their homes.

The lawsuit poked a figurative finger in the eye of the Culinary, which has 60,000 members.

FULL story at link.

[kikiek]

1. I'm not surprised about the bullying tactics. You could see the writing on the wall even with the

older reports on it. What made me suspicious was that by setting it up on the casino property, and having everyone vote there, they diminished the chances that anyone would go against the union. They said it would be known to all who endorsed someone else. They would be standing apart for all to see. Intimidation tactics. Reminded me of the unions of old. I don't like it. Gives unions a bad name.