Can you imagine a workplace without the right to collectively bargain for improved wages, benefits and working conditions?
Workers at casinos owned by four of the wealthiest tribes in California don’t have to imagine such a place – they work in it. These workers do not have the enforceable right to organize into a union unless it is specifically stated in the tribe’s gaming compact.
Four such compacts are set to appear on the February ballot (Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97), but none of them include provisions that would protect the rights of tribal casino workers. And even though these casinos are already among the most profitable in California, many of their workers are left without affordable heath care.
If enacted, these compacts would be the largest expansion of gambling in U.S. history. However, just four of California’s 108 tribes would control about one-third of the state’s Indian gaming pie, which would be economically devastating to the other tribes.
The compacts would allow these four powerful tribes to get away with underpaying the state. Our police and fire departments would be shortchanged, and not 1¢ would be guaranteed to schools.
We opposed these compacts when they were originally proposed as legislation in 2006, and we will continue to oppose them as referenda on the February 2008 ballot.
Support the rights of all workers by voting “NO” on all four gaming compact referenda this February. Tell the legislature to negotiate a better deal by voting NO on Props 94, 95, 96, 97!
- Sample letter to members
Download a Worksite Flyer
Other organizations that oppose the gaming compacts:
San Francisco Chronicle
Bakersfield Californian
Merced Sun-Star
California Professional Firefighters
American Indian Rights and Resources Organization
California Coalition Against Gambling Expansion
California Federation of Teachers
California School Employees Association
California Alliance for Retired Americans
Waste Watchers
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – California
Gray Panthers California
California Family Council
Indians of Enterprise #1
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Stand Up for California
California Church IMPACT
United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria
Orange County Taxpayers Association
California Labor Federation AFL-CIO
Traditional Values Coalition
UNITE HERE International Union
California Tax Reform Association
Ya-Ka-Ama Indian Education and Development, Inc.
Voices for Rural Living
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Citizens for a Quality Environment
Valley Taxpayers, Inc.
San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union
Loma Linda City Council
North Bay Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
Casinos Represent a Poor Solution (CRAPS)
United Food Commercial Workers Western States Council
San Pablo City Council
Citizens for Local Government Accountability
Barstow Christian Ministerial Association *
United Farm Workers of America
Alameda Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 18
Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers
A. Philip Randolph Institute, San Francisco Chapter
Senior Coalition of Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz City Schools, American Federation of Teachers Local 6084
The River Committee (Santa Ynez)
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice San Diego
California Conference of Machinists
Berkeley City Council
Contra Costa Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Coachella Valley Teachers Association
San Diego-Imperial Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE)
Urban Habitat
SEIU California State Council
Asian American Drug Abuse Program
Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice – CLUE-CA
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE)
Capitol Resource Family Impact
San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Riverside County Democratic Central Committee
Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice – Los Angeles – CLUE-LA
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
Santa Ynez Valley Concerned Citizens
Dolores Huerta, co-founder, United Farm Workers
San Francisco Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Violence Research Foundation
Lake County Democratic Central Committee
Barona Racetrack Committee
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – National
Los Angeles College Faculty Guild
United Auto Workers, Region 5
Hesperia City Council
Marin Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Alexander Valley Association (Healdsburg)
San Joaquin-Calaveras Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Democratic Party of Sacramento County
Harvey Milk GLBT Democratic Club
Sacramento Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Building & Construction Trades Council of Alameda County AFL-CIO
San Mateo County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Inland Counties Stonewall Democrats
Santa Maria/Orcutt Leadership Alliance
South Bay Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Inglewood/Airport Area Chamber of Commerce
Butte-Glenn Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse
Citizens for a Better Way
Monterey/Santa Cruz Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Concerned Citizens Against the Casino (Hesperia)
Tri-Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Asian Pacific Islander Problem Gambling Task Force
Concerned Citizens for Pauma Valley
Fresno County Democratic Central Committee
Plumas County Republican Central Committee
San Francisco Women’s Political Committee
Siskiyou Scars – Citizens Against Reservation Shopping
Dehesa Valley Community Council (El Cajon)
Friends of Amador County
International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 54 (Stockton)
Jamul Action Committee
Singley Hill Homeowners (Loleta)
Sonoma County Democratic Party
Sacramento – Sierra’s Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Napa-Solano Building Trades Council AFL-CIO
Stonewall Democratic Club
Wildcat Canyon Conservancy (Lakeside)
No Casino in Plymouth
San Francisco Democratic Party
Old Barona Road Association (Lakeside)
United Auto Workers, Local 2865 (Santa Barbara)
Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD)
Temecula/Murrieta Open Space Preservation Organization
Alameda County Democratic Party
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 1546 (Lodi)
Shasta County Democratic Central Committee
Palm Springs Progressive Community Coalition
Win or Quit (San Diego)
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Sacramento Chapter
Residents Against Gaming Expansion (El Cajon)
El Cerrito Democratic Club
Progressive Jewish Alliance
Rohnert Park Families
Sonoma, Mendocino & Lake Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Russian River Property Owners Association
United Steelworkers, Local 474 (Clovis)
Zeitgeist Books
West Bank Homeowners Association (Blythe)
San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Help Get Out The Vote!
Tips on Coordinating a Phone Bank
Contacts
Bryan Blum, Director of Field and Political Campaigns
Melanie Hallahan, Assistant Political Director
Don Hightower, Central Valley Regional Political Director
Marc Victoria , Southern California Regional Political Director
Gloria Sanchez, Political Assistant