Casino Dealers Lawsuit Against Wynn Dismissed
Dealers from the Wynn Las Vegas Casino were handed a setback by the Nevada Supreme Court Thursday. A suit contesting the casino's policy of sharing dealer tips with pit bosses was dismissed, as the Court found the complaint belonged before the Nevada labor commissioner.In 2006, Wynn Resorts instituted a policy requiring that floor supervisors share in the tips generated by dealers. The casino has defended the policy as necessary to get management more involved directly with players, but also admitted it made up for disparity between what tipped employees were making and what casino supervisors were paid.
In other words, the casino is using money intended for dealers to pay salaried personnel, allowing the casino to avoid paying more competitive salaries. Dealers have testified that their income has dropped as much as twenty percent because of the change.
Daniel Baldonado, one of the dealers pursuing the case, expressed concern that the policy would spread if the case is defeated. He stated that other casinos are only putting off copying Wynn because of the court proceeding.
Still, a lawyer for the dealers noted that the Court did not make a judgement on the merit of the case, but merely referred it to the labor commissioner. Leon Greenberg said, "No determination was made as to whether the Wynn tip policy is illegal or proper under Nevada law."
The Transportation Workers Union of America has taken advantage of Wynn's mistreatment of employees, using the policy to organize Wynn labor. Although the company previously had a good reputation as an employer, the union vote went almost three to one in favor of accepting union representation.
