A
four page summary
of the report by the Coachella Valley Commission on Workplace
Fairness, a forum for workers speaking out against employer
abuses of their human and legal rights to organize (Adobe Acrobat).
The
entire CVCWF report (22 pages, without
appendices) detailing the testimony of tribal casino employees
who have reported employer abuses of their human and legal rights
to organize (Adobe Acrobat).
Download
the first independent study of the
rapidly growing tribal casino workforce. Many state and federal
laws governing labor conditions (for instance, EEOC, ADA, NLRA,
CalOSHA, and State Minimum Wage) have not been applied to the
employees at tribal casinos. This study of workers is based
on a scientific survey of “eligible employees” at the Agua Caliente
Casino which is located on tribal land adjacent to Rancho Mirage
in Riverside County, CA. It focuses on the economic conditions
of the workforce, with particular attention to the healthcare
benefits provided to employees. Among other findings,
this study reports:
- Due
to the unusually high cost of the employees' share of the
premium and the low wages at the Agua Caliente Casino, a majority
of the children of casino employees rely on taxpayer-funded
healthcare programs;
- The
share of premium for job-based family health coverage for
these workers is almost twice the average share of premium
for California workers for employer-purchased health benefits.
California
healthcare policy analysts, Capell & Associates, reports
"If these data are characteristic of the behavior of management
at other casinos statewide, the estimated cost to the State
and Federal Governments may be as high as $21 million."
View
periodic updates prepared by the Commission on Workplace Fairness:
Tribe Condones Use of Violence and Police in
an attempt to keep workers from speaking to the Union (July
9, 2003)
Tribe Links Employees’ Organizing Efforts to
Closure -- Agua Caliente warns employees that unionization could
mean bankruptcy (July 17, 2003)
Tribe Deflects Attention From Employee Dependence
On State Welfare Programs: Agua Caliente misstates cost of dependent
healthcare (July 28, 2003)
Tribe Continues Interrogations: Agua Caliente
casino management questions workers about their organizing (August
5, 2003)
Tribe Limits Freedom to Assemble: Agua Caliente
casino management continues efforts to stop union organizing
(October 14, 2003) |
