California Casino Labor Dispute Tests Dem Presidential Candidates

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Workers Independent News

California Casino Labor Dispute Tests Dem Presidential Candidates - 06/01/07

An invitation to an American Indian forum in California is causing some Democratic Presidential candidates to make some tough decisions. Jesse Russell reports.

Presidential contender Hillary Clinton has turned down an invitation to speak at a forum at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in California. The former first wife cited a on going labor dispute between the Morongo Band of Mission Indians who run the casino and Unite-HERE. That union represents service workers who oppose a deal that would expand the number of casinos in California because it would make it more difficult to organize workers and the casino owners are already against unionization. Currently only New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel have accepted the invitation that would bring tribal leaders from across the country to California. Event organizers say that who attends and who doesn’t will determine who receives the support of the deep pocketed casino tribes.





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