Third Collective Bargaining Agreement Signed under Tribal Law
The Little River Casino Resort and the United Steelworkers Union have entered into a collective bargaining agreement covering the Resort’s EVS Bargaining Unit. This is the third collective bargaining agreement entered into by the Resort and the Union under tribal law.
“We are proud of our Tribe’s success in governing labor and employment relations,” said Larry Romanelli, the elected Ogema of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. “These three collective bargaining agreements between the Resort and the USW are concrete examples of tribal sovereignty at work.”
In 2007, the Band enacted a law governing labor unions and collective bargaining modeled on public sector labor relations laws. The law allows collective bargaining within the Band’s public sector, which includes its gaming operations at the Little River Casino Resort. It requires unions to hold a license from the Band, and it provides a structure for union elections, bargaining rules, and the resolution of unfair labor practice charges. “We found much to learn from the way state governments regulate collective bargaining,” said Stephen Parsons, the elected Speaker of the Band’s Tribal Council, which enacted the law. “In the end, however, this law reflects the unique values of our Ottawa community.”
Few Indian nations have laws governing collective bargaining. The short list includes the Navajo Nation and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
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