It took three elections but bartenders, drink servers, and bar porters at the casino owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut will finally organize with a labor union.

The first vote took place in April 2009 under tribal law. Employees voted against organizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 371 by a vote of 207 to 133.

The second election took place in July 2010 under the supervision of the National Labor Relations Board. Employees voted in favor of organizing by a 190 to 145 vote but the tribe was planning to contest the election as an intrusion of its sovereignty.

But that won't be happening because employees voted in yet another election on Tuesday under tribal law. This time the union succeeded by a vote of 133 to 90.

"It sends the message that regardless of whether it's under tribal or federal law, the workers just want to sit down and negotiate a contract," Keri Hoehne, Local 371's chief organizer, told The New London Day.

Get the Story:
Union effort prevails at Foxwoods (The New London Day 5/18)

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