Job seekers, union seek a jackpot

When it opens its doors to anticipated throngs of gamblers later this year, Red Hawk Casino will instantly become El Dorado County's largest private employer. The casino also is a prime target of a fastgrowing union.

The Indian casino under construction in Shingle Springs is already accepting applications for selected management positions, and as it gets closer to opening jobs will be available in food and beverage, gambling, security, finance, marketing, retail and facilities - a total of nearly 1,800 new employees.

But job seekers aren't the only ones monitoring the progress of the 270,000-square-foot casino just north of Highway 50.

As is the case with Indian casinos throughout California, organized labor - in particular the hospitality workers union UNITE HERE - also has its eye on Red Hawk.

The fast-growing union already represents more than 90,000 workers in the U.S. gambling industry. It has successfully organized employees at four California Indian casinos, including Cache Creek in Yolo County and the Pala Casino in San Diego County, which was opened by the same company that manages Red Hawk Casino.

"It's my hope we'll be having good news to report (at Red Hawk)," said Jack Gribbon, the union's political director.

Although UNITE HERE doesn't represent dealers, it does represent other casino employees such as restaurant and hotel workers, cashiers, slot changepeople, porters and housekeeping workers.

While unions have had mixed results organizing in the state's Indian casinos, gambling law expert I. Nelson Rose said the tables are turning in labor's favor.

"Basically they're slowly winning the battle," said Rose. He cited, as example, recent legal rulings, including a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that federal labor law applies at Indian casinos.

During a tour of the casino site last month, Red Hawk's general manager, Peter Fordham, said he "couldn't speculate" as to whether his casino will have union jobs.

Regardless, he said, Red Hawk's salaries "will be similar in range to any large casino."

A Red Hawk press release quotes Scott Holmes, chairman of the Shingle Springs TribalGaming Authority, as saying, "Our employees will enjoy competitive compensation packages, beautiful surroundings and a work environment that's based on mutual respect."

Fordham, who has worked exclusively for Indian casinos since 1993, said he's confident Red Hawk will find its niche among the region's other Indian casinos, including Thunder Valley in Placer County and Cache Creek in Yolo County.

He's also not worried about competition from Stateline casinos farther up the highway. "There's a lot of business to go around, we're not competing directly," he said.