Tribes say no to feds

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.azstarnet.com/business/140938

Business
Tribes say no to feds
O'odham, Yaquis deny they must allow unions to organize
By Levi J. Long
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.06.2006

When it comes to creating labor practices on local reservations, tribal leaders are telling the feds, essentially, hands off.

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the Tohono O'odham Nation are joining with tribes around the country that say their casinos and other enterprises shouldn't have to follow a federal labor board ruling that says unions are allowed to organize at tribal casinos, hotels and restaurants, and other businesses.

They want Congress to reverse the National Labor Relations Board decision, which said that as major employers at casinos and other enterprises, tribes are more like businesses than sovereign governments and should be treated as such.

The decision affects only tribes' casinos and other business enterprises, not their governmental offices.

But if it stands, the ruling will set a precedent for tribes around the country and for their workers — many of whom are not tribal members. In Southern Arizona, the Tohono O'odham Nation employs more than 1,200 casino workers, and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe employs 1,300. Both tribes are in the Top 20 in this year's Star 200 ranking of the area's largest employers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. That's funny...I was thinking the Federal Government was more like

a casino than something sovreign.