Casino boss told to butt out of button rumpus

On Tuesday (March 31), the National Labor Relations Board, which monitors unfair labor practices, told Casino Pauma in Pauma Valley that it has to rescind anti-union practices such as prohibiting employees from wearing union buttons.

In 2013, organizers from UniteHere, a union representing hotel and food service workers, attempted to organize Pauma workers, who complained, among other things, that they had not received wage increases for several years. Food servers, slot-machine technicians, and others began wearing small UniteHere buttons on their uniforms.

Pauma passed out a memo telling employees that the personnel handbook prohibited the wearing of buttons and pins on their uniforms, other than their identification badges. The handbook warned that employees could be disciplined for defying these instructions.

The labor relations board ruled on March 31 that Pauma must post a notice telling employees that they may join a union and wear union buttons, and the handbook rule banning employees from wearing union insignia will be rescinded. I could not reach UniteHere officials for comment.