NITRO, W.Va. — For the second time in a week union workers at Mardi Gras Casino and Resort in Nitro have voted to go out on strike but a deadline has been extended to allow both sides to meet with a federal mediator.
United Steelworkers Union 14614-F8 rejected the casino’s latest health insurance offer in a Friday vote. The union said its 350 members at Mardi Gras planned to begin their strike at 5 a.m. Monday “unless the Union hears back from the Company that is is willing to continue to negotiate,” a USW news release said.
The union then announced both parties would meet with a federal mediator for further discussions and the strike deadline had been extended.
Friday’s vote was the third rejection of a company proposal in recent weeks. Mardi Gras has paid a 90/10 split in worker premiums. The new offer is closer to a 75/25 split. The proposal would have increased costs per worker to approximately $1,100 a year, the union said. The union supports a new premium split of 80/20.
The union also claimed Saturday the company has engaged in unfair labor practices including “threatening employees with retaliation, intimidation, and undermining the Union,” the USW said. The union has notified the National Labor Relations Board.
Mardi Gras Vice President Dan Adkins told MetroNews earlier this he was confident the issues would be worked out. He also said the casino would remain open if a strike were to occur.