wynn to unionize?

It looks like the ongoing anger from the dealers at the Wynn is boiling over and has finally forced Steve Wynn to re-think his controversial decision. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

CASINO INDUSTRY: Wynn to deal with dealers
Resort says it won't challenge union vote

By HOWARD STUTZ

One day after a vast majority of its casino dealing force cast ballots in favor of union representation, Wynn Las Vegas executives seemed resigned to negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the New York-based labor organization that will speak for the workers.

The National Labor Relations Board has until next week to certify the results of the weekend election at Wynn Las Vegas, where dealers, in a vote of 444-149, asked to be represented by the Transport Workers Union of America...

Frank McCann Jr., who directed the organizing drive for the Transport Workers, said Sunday the property's roughly 700 dealers expect to see the casino eliminate the tip-pooling program that led to the labor unrest and subsequent union vote. In addition, McCann said, dealers want to have the right to divide their own tips and want job security initiatives...At the crux of the union vote is Wynn's decision to change how the casino splits tips among its dealers.

Wynn executives added certain managers and casino supervisors to the list of those who qualify to share in the casino's often-times lucrative tip pool on Sept. 1. Wynn dealers said that before the tip pooling program was started, they could earn $100,000 or more annually and the change was costing them as much as $20,000 a year.

Wynn Las Vegas management said it started the policy to correct a pay disparity that had dealers earning more than their supervisors. Critics argued Wynn Las Vegas should have raised managers' pay, not broadened the tip pool.

The tip-pooling program has not found its way into other Strip casinos. Read more.

In another article:

CASINO INDUSTRY: Dealers at Wynn resort ratify union
Vote for TWU representation approved by almost 3-1 margin

[THE MONEY QUOTE]
"I got it wrong, I hurt you and I apologize," Steve Wynn said. "Sometimes people with good intentions make mistakes."

You better believe he got it wrong. I fully understand the thinking behind the tip pooling measure. As one friend of mine who lives in the desert said: "the inmates were running the asylum." Dealers were making money hand over fist and wildly out-earning their supervisors. As a result, floor supervisors (pit bosses) were not able to manage the employees.

Wynn wanted to level the playing field. But his solution couldn't have been any more wrongheaded. He should've raised the compensation for floor supervisors and management and let them rein in the dealers rather than tax the dealers for making too much money.

It was a rather imperialistic move that could've and should've been handled differently. It's a dirty tactic to lift money out of the working classes' pocket—even when tht working class is getting paid rather handsomely—because the ownership class needs leverage against them. This never should've happened.

In fact, there were events all along the way that could've been changed to avoid the union vote, which is why Steve Wynn is making an impassioned and truly sincere 11th-hour plea.

Personally speaking, I don't think a union is in the best interest of the dealers at the Wynn and I think they need to seriously re-consider this measure. Yeah, I know. Steve Wynn should've fixed this before it got to that point, but still, two wrongs do not make a right.

You can hear Wynn's speech to his employees here, by way of Jon Ralston's blog, Vegas Pundit:

Steve Wynn's Speech

Wynn Las Vegas

Editor's note: For what it's worth, Wynn's stock has been dropping lately. Hmm...