Opinions: Unions at the Mashantucket casino

Monday, October 1, 2007  

With the United Auto Workers union is advancing its efforts at the casino owed by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, The New London Day publishes some opinions about working at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.

The Foxwoods Dealer supports the union, citing a need to improve employee benefits. "We're tired of management making changes whenever it wants. Instead of having to live with their memos, we're forming our union so management will have to sit down with us and negotiate about issues that are important to us," the Dealer says.

Johnnie Dorsey and Tom Estapa are union members at the Greektown Casino in Detroit, a commercial casino whose majority partner is the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. "The tribe and casino management also respects our union. We've negotiated two contracts so far, and we're working on a third," they say.

Steve Heise is vice president for human resources at Foxwoods. "Under the law, unions can only make promises but cannot and do not provide guarantees. We have delivered. Where we fall short, we believe in making it right. That's who we are. That's what we've done," he says.

The nearby Mohegan Tribe offers the perspective of Karen Gaudreau, an employee at the Mohegan Sun casino. " Over the years I have often visited the Human Resources department,where someone is always available to hear what I have to say no matter when I stop by. If I want to go straight to the 'Big Guys,' I can easily ask them a question through our employee intranet message board, knowing I will always get a response," she says.

Get the Story:
The Foxwoods Dealer: The UAW Can Make Foxwoods A Better Place (The New London Day 9/30)
pwday
Johnnie Dorsey and Tom Estapa: Tribal Casino And Union Dealers Win Together (The New London Day 9/30)
Steve Heise :Foxwoods Does It Right, And Everyone Benefits (The New London Day 9/30)
Karen Gaudreau: A Career At The Sun Improved My Life (The New London Day 9/30)