ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - The National Labor Relations Board has upheld the
unionization vote by dealers at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, turning aside
objections from the company that expressions of support by elected officials
during the organizing drive tainted the vote.
The ruling was issued Friday and publicized by the United Auto Workers on
Tuesday.
It upholds an earlier decision by an administrative law judge that the union
election was fair.
"I think it's great," said Doug Migliore, a dealer at Trump Plaza. "We've
been trying to get to the bargaining table for over a year. Now we can move
forward to get a contract."
The board's ruling comes little more than two weeks before the union plans
to hold a massive rally in Atlantic City to call on the four casinos where union
votes succeeded to quickly reach agreement with workers on contracts.
"Management's efforts to prevent workers from exercising their legal rights
have failed," said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "It's way past time for them
to come to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith with the union."
Trump Entertainment Resorts, Trump Plaza's parent company, may appeal the
decision to a federal appeals court, spokesman Tom Hickey said.
"We are disappointed, and we're considering our options," he said.
Dealers at Trump Plaza voted 2-to-1 in favor of forming a union on March 31,
2007. But the company filed objections with the NJRB, claiming public comments
expressing support for the union drive made by federal, state and local elected
officials constituted unlawful interference with the union election.
Since March 2007, a dealers and other workers at Caesars Atlantic City,
Trump Plaza, Bally's Atlantic City, and the Tropicana Casino and Resort have
voted to join the union. Bargaining is under way at Caesars and Tropicana.
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