Culinary Union found guilty of engaging in unfair labor practices

Have you ever been lied to by a colleague at work?

It’s something that should never happen, but unfortunately does. And for employees on the Strip, the one who is lying or threatening them is all too often a union official. The Culinary Union committed the most recent violations, and on May 2, a judge with the National Labor Relations Board ruled that the Culinary Union engaged in unfair labor practices and ordered the union “to cease and desist.”

What happened is this. Five years ago, a snack-bar attendant at the Paris Hotel opted out of the Culinary Union. In order to try and get her back in the union, a shop steward threatened her with the loss of her benefits and seniority, unless she re-joined the union.

She immediately asked her supervisor about the validity of the Culinary Union’s threats and then filed a complaint.

This story shows why it’s so important to remind employees about what their rights are when it comes not joining or leaving a union.

Because Nevada is a right-to-work state, any employee can leave their union without penalty. That’s right. You can save several hundred dollars a year in dues and still receive the same pay, benefits and seniority.

No worker has to join a union, but many unions restrict when members can leave. For instance, Culinary workers have to submit written notice within two weeks of anniversary of the day they joined the union to leave.

Despite untrue threats from union officials, every worker in the Nevada has the right to leave their union without facing any penalty or discrimination.