The long-running dispute between the Culinary Union and Station Casinos has entered a new phase, with the DC Circuit Court of Appeals now hearing arguments related to Red Rock Casino, while a separate trial against the operator continues before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
The union alleges that Station Casinos engaged in anti-union practices designed to discourage organising efforts at its properties. Workers have testified before the NLRB about actions they claim undermined collective bargaining.
The federal government has described its case as one of the largest labour law enforcement actions in US history.
Diana Valles, President of the Culinary Union, said she expects rulings against Station Casinos to be upheld, stating: "We are confident that the DC Circuit will uphold the NLRB's ruling that Red Rock Casino committed egregious violations of the law and that the NLRB will find in the current trial that Station Casinos did so again on an even larger scale.
"It is outrageous that a major gaming company continues to operate with impunity in Nevada's gaming industry, while the Gaming Control Board remains silent on one of its licensees."
Station Casinos and the Culinary Union have clashed previously, including disputes over the operator's 2021 Durango Station Casino & Hotel project, which the union opposed through grassroots campaigns citing community concerns.
The Culinary Union has pledged to continue its current campaign across all available forums - including courts, regulatory hearings and public demonstrations.
The proceedings are expected to influence broader labour relations throughout Nevada's gaming sector, where organising campaigns have intensified over the past two years.
This newest development comes as the Culinary Union has been increasingly active, launching its first open-ended strike in over 22 years at Virgin Las Vegas in November 2024, seeking improved wages and working conditions.
The union has also advocated for eliminating taxes on tips while calling for an end to the $2.13 sub-minimum wage for tipped workers in multiple states.
