Column: Unions could be headed to Mohegan casino

Wednesday, April 15, 2009  

"Remember how madatfoxwoods.com, an anonymous Web site aimed at picking fights with Foxwoods management, eventually morphed into uawatfoxwoods.org, once the union campaign to organize table game dealers got under way?

And so if the appearance of a critical, anonymous Web site stirring up employee resentments is a harbinger of union organizing, then you would expect that the appearance of keepthesunshining.blogspot.com earlier this year might have led to some anxiety in the Mohegan Sun executive offices.

The tone of keepthesunshining is a bit less strident than madatFoxwoods, but the intent is clear. The anonymous author or authors, on almost daily postings, never stray far from the theme that Sun employees need representation.

Mitchell Etess, casino chief executive officer and president, sounded considerably less than anxious, however, when I asked him Tuesday about the new site.

He said managers know of no organizing going on right now at the casino and believe employees are supportive of management.

”We have a long history of dealing directly with our employees and we think our record speaks for itself,” Etess said. “We have always taken care of people in the right way and we are confident that everyone who works here understands that.”"

Get the Story:
David Collins: Are unions eyeing Mohegan Sun? (The New London Day 4/15)