Employment and Labor Relations in Nevada*
Introduction
Nevada generally gets high marks for its labor market conditions, sustained economic growth, and high standards of living. Compared to the employment situation in many other regions, Nevada does indeed post impressive numbers. Yet, a closer look at the local employment and occupation structure reveals a complex pattern requiring a nuanced assessment. While some workers in Nevada have high earnings, median wages for year-round workers are no higher than the national average. Nevada has low unemployment rates and a robust union movement, but many jobs in the state are in the service sector that offers relatively low salaries and few long-term career opportunities. Employment rates are certainly important, and so is the employment structure, which significantly affects the overall quality of life enjoyed by state’s residents and local communities.
One of the major forces behind the improved working conditions, both locally and nationally, is the strength of labor unions. Research shows that union membership is associated with higher earnings for workers as well as better working conditions, and the Silver State boasts one of the highest union membership rates in the country.
- In 2000, 17.3% of Nevada non-agricultural wage and salaried workers were union members, compared to 13.6% at the national level (Hirsch, Macpherson and Vroman 2001).
Shifts in the world economy over the past half-century have led to declining union membership. One major development affecting the union decline in the U.S. has been the loss of manufacturing industries and the expansion of the service sector in recent decades. Traditionally, unions have been strong in the manufacturing sector and weak in the service sector. With a notable exception of Las Vegas, union membership in Nevada has followed the national downward trend.
- In 1964, nearly 30% of nonagricultural wage and salary workers in the U.S. were union members. By the end of the 20 th century, this percentage has declined to the current figure of less than 15%.
- In 1964, 33.3 % of nonagricultural wage and salary workers in Nevada were union members. By 2000, this figure was 17.3 %.
Employment segregation by race and sex is another important indicator of workers’ rights and conditions. The employment history of the United States is one in which jobs have been routinely segregated by race and sex. In the past, both state laws and traditional beliefs barred ethnoracial minorities and women from certain occupations. Historically, these socio-demographic groups have been concentrated in the least desirable, low-paying jobs. Many of these discriminatory practices were legal until 1964 when the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civilr19.htm. A key provision of this Act is Title VII, http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html, which makes illegal employment discrimination based race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. While illegal in theory, employment discrimination and segregation in employment have continued in practice. Inconsistent enforcement efforts are in large measure responsible for the fact that certain occupations remain segregated along racial and gender lines (Reskin 1998).
Several governmental agencies oversee research and legislation concerning labor and labor relations in the United States and in Nevada. The United States Department of Labor, http://www.dol.gov/, collects employment data, including the statistics gathered through the Equal Employment OpportunityCommission (EEOC), http://www.eeoc.gov/. At the State level, the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, http://detr.state.nv.us/, gathers information about employment, unemployment rates, and prevailing wages, in addition to aiding efforts of Nevada workers seeking employment or facing a work-related problem. Housed in the Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, http://detr.state.nv.us/, the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, http://detr.state.nv.us/nerc/NERC_index.htm, disseminates information on how to report employment discrimination in Nevada jurisdictions.
This report describes employment patterns in Nevada and its key regions against the backdrop of the national trends. The discussion focuses on employment and unemployment, contingent and informal labor, labor patterns in major industries, trade union practices, and equal employment opportunity. The report also highlights the community resources available to Nevada workers.
Historical Overview
Unions in U.S.
Trade Unions remained exceedingly weak during the first 100 years of the U.S. history.
The organized labor movement in the U.S. began to gather momentum and expanded rapidly in response to the poor working conditions in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Among the prominent unions of this era were the Knights of Labor, the International Workers of the World (IWW), and the Western Federation of Miners. Alongside these unions emerged the American Federation of Labor (AFL) that organized mostly skilled craft workers into local unions. The labor movement gained ground in the early part of the 20th century.
- By the First World War, the AFL had over 4,000,000 members.
In the public mind, labor unions were often associated with socialism, and that lead to a backlash against trade unions in the 1920’s. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, http://home.earthlink.net/~local1613/nlra.html, won unions a reprieve, giving workers the right to organize and strike without being replaced by other workers. The victory was short-lived, however. Soon after WWII ended, the 1946 Taft-Hartley Act sought to reduce union power (Sernau 2006; http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9070904). Since then, shifts in the global economy have further reduced the size and strength of unions. Union density has been declining in western industrialized countries since the 1980’s (Wallerstein and West, 2000). Here are the figures illuminating these general trends.
- Less than 15% of U.S. workers are unionized, compared to 30% of German workers, 40% of Irish workers, and 90% of Swedish workers.
- With some 45% of its labor force unionized, Canada has three times the unionization rate of the US.
Unions in Nevada
Mirroring the national trend, the proportion of Nevada’s wage and salaried workers belonging to trade union members has been declining over the last 40 years,
- In 1964, Nevada’s union membership was 33.3%, it declined to 23.9% in 1984, and stood at 17.3% in 2000 (Hirsch, Macpherson, and Vroman, 2001).
There are important exceptions to the general trend, however, most notably the Culinary Union, http://www.culinaryunion226.org/, an affiliate of UNITE-HERE. The culinary won a series of strategic battles in Las Vegas, most recently with the contract with the new Wynn Las Vegas. Bucking the national trend,
- The Culinary has grown in membership since the 1980s, approximately doubling in size from 1984 to 2000 (Alexander, 2002).
- The Las Vegas Culinary Union, known as Local 226, is the fastest-growing labor organization in the country, with over 50,000 members.
An important factor affecting Nevada unions is the recent split of the AFL-CIO. In 2005, the Teamsters Union, UNITE-HERE, SEIU, and United Food and Commercial Workers, http://www.xpdnc.com/links/lousnv.html , have left the AFL-CIO and are now in the process of creating a new labor organization that is focused on expanding union membership. The coalition of those four unions (and three others) calls itself the “Change to Win Coalition,” http://changetowin.org/. Because unions can affiliate at the national, regional, state, and local level, the implications of these major unions disaffiliating with AFL-CIO are still unknown.
Employment Patterns in Nevada
Unemplyment Rates
The labor market in Nevada is strong and growing. Nearly every industry in the Silver State has seen job growth in the previous year, and several industries have seen substantial growth (Nevada Department of Employment, Rehabilitation and Training).
- Job growth (non-farm payroll employment) in Nevada from October 2004 through October 2005 was 6%.
- Employment in the construction industry grew most dramatically, with an 11.4% gain in the previous year.
- Nevada also saw large increases in business and professional employment, with a 9.9% gain in the previous year.
Unemployment Rates
Nevada has relatively low unemployment in the national context. Data from Nevada Department of Employment, Rehabilitation and Training shows that the state has comparatively low unemployment rates.
- Nevada’s 2005 average unemployment rate of 4.1% ranks 11th among the states and compares favorably to the current national average of 5.1%. Future estimates predict a continued low unemployment rate for Nevada , partly because of the expanding population.
- The unemployment rate is low across the state. While there is some variation, in no segment of the reginal labor market is the unemployment rate as high as the national average (see Figure 1 for details).
Marginally Attached, Discouraged, and Involuntary Part-Time Workers
We should bear in mind that unemployment data do not include marginally attached and discouraged workers. The latter do not fit the official category of “unemployed” because they are no longer actively seeking employment. Difficult to obtain, data on discouraged workers can be estimated via surveys looking into the reasons people are not in the labor force or not actively seeking employment.
- National data indicate that approximately .8% of workers are marginally attached, indicating they have not actively looked for work in the previous month (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005).
The unemployment rate also does not take into account the number of workers who are employed in part-time jobs despite a preference for full-time work. This category of worker points to a weakness in the demand for full-time workers in labor market.
- Approximately 3% of all U.S. workers are employed part-time and would prefer full-time work (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005).
While data do not exist allowing for estimates of Nevada’s population of marginally attached workers and involuntary part-time workers, Nevada’s low unemployment rate suggests that it is likely that the percentage of Nevada workers who fall into these categories is similar to or less than the national estimates.
The Contingent and Informal Labor Force
Very little data is available about the contingent and informal labor force in Nevada. The Center for the Study of Urban Poverty at UCLA, http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/issr/csup/index.php, included a Las Vegas day labor site for the 2004 National Day Labor Survey. This survey records demographic information and other worker characteristics, and when final results are released, they should provide valuable insights into the situation of Las Vegas day laborers. The changing structure of the labor force and the geographic migration of informal labor make estimates in this area difficult. For instance, pick-up sites may change as local businesses become frustrated with the traffic conditions in their area due to workers loitering while waiting for employers to recruit them. More research needs to be done about the contingent and informal labor force across Nevada, which can illuminate the different types of contingent and informal workers, inlcuding
- Temporary agency employees
- Temporary workers, not employed through agencies
- Day laborers working through formal work recruiting sites
- Day laborers working through institutionalized but informal work sites
- Undocumented workers in all kinds of jobs
We need to make a clear distinction between two types of contingent and informal workers – hidden labor and observable labor. For example, domestic work is relatively hidden from view, while construction work is easier to observe. Also, we need to know whether the work itself is legal or illegal. Thus, domestic work and construction are both considered legitimate forms of emplyment while drug dealing and some forms of prostitution are illegal (see the chapter on the Sex Industry and Sex Workers for further details about Nevada sex workers).
Employment and Socio-Demographic Factors
Employment in Nevada has been segregated by race and sex in a manner that generally repeates the national pattern. One difference concerns Nevada’s historically higher rates of women’s employment. The 1950’s casino expansion in Las Vegas brought an increasing number of women into the workforce. While women’s employment was rising nationwide in this period, the influx of women into the workforce took place earlier in Nevada than elsewhere in the nation (Goodwin, 2002).
- In 1960, only about 1/3 of U.S. women were employed, compared to 44% of women in Las Vegas.
While their participaiton in the labor force in the postwar era was strong, women worked primarily in sex-typed jobs commonly found in the service, clerical, and sales sectors of the economy. Several factors influenced women’s entry into an increasingly wider range of occupations in the post WWI era (Goodwin, 2002). On the national level, this was Title VII which barred race, sex, and relgion-based discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. Following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, opportunities for women opened in new areas of employment and sex segregation in employment began to decline. On the local level, two factors impacted women’s integration into previously male-dominated lines of work: the 1969 Nevada Corporate Gaming Act , http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/timeline/timeline2.html, which led to larger casinos with greater administrative job opportunities for women, and the emergence of the Culinary Union that proved a boon for Las Vegas area women workers who benefited from the union’s strong stance on workers benefits.
Industries across Nevada
The single largest industry in Nevada is Accommodation and Food Services, http://detr.state.nv.us/lmi/data/wages/PAGE2707.HTM. As Nevada’s population grew rapidly, so did its labor market. Two departments in the Nevada State government deal with issues related to employment and industry: The Department of Business and Industry, http://dbi.state.nv.us/, and the Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, http://detr.state.nv.us/.
The size of the different industries varies across the state. The most salient differences among the key industries in Nevada include the following (see Table 1 for more details):
- 27% of Las Vegas workers are in the accommodation and food services industry, compared to only 16% in Reno and 15% in the rest of the state.
- Since “the rest of the state” category includes Carson City, the State of Nevada capital, we can assume that a large percentage of the employed in that region are government workers (12%).
- Las Vegas and Reno have fewer workers employed in mining and agriculture, which are associated with rural areas.
- Las Vegas also has a relatively low manufacturing sector, contributing to its reliance on the service industry.
Unions and Unionization
Unionization Rates
Nevada has a higher rate of unionization than the rest of the nation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), http://www.bls.gov/, collects labor force data through the Current Population Survey. Here are some highlights from the BLS:
- In 2004, 12.5% of U.S. wage and salary workers were union members, while 14.3% of Nevada ’s wage and salary workers belonged to unions (these figures refer to workers who report being members of unions or who work in jobs covered by a union).
- Far more government workers are union members than workers in private-sector industries.
- Workers in education, training, and library occupations and protective service occupations have the highest unionization rates
- Men are more likely to be union members than women.
- Black workers are more likely to be union members than are white, Asian, Hispanic, or Latino workers.
- In Nevada, approximately 144,000 workers are either members of unions or work in jobs covered by unions, although the concentration of union workers varies across the state.
Labor Unions’ Effect on Wages in Nevada
Las Vegas has a higher concentration of union workers than Reno , and this has implications for wages in these different geographic areas. The information gathered from multiple data sources in the 1990’s (Waddoups, 1999, Waddoups, 2001) shows that wages tend to be higher in highly unionized occupations.
- Wages in the hotel-casino industry are higher in Las Vegas with its substantial hotel-casino industry unionization rates than the wages in the less unionized Reno. In 1996, the average wage in Clark County was $13.11, while in Washoe County it was $11.41 (Waddoups, 1999).
Even more important for the social health of Nevada is the fact that more workers have poverty-level wages in the hotel-casino industry in Reno than in Las Vegas . That is true for workers in the same occupations.
- Reno workers had a 38% chance of having wages below the 20th percentile while Las Vegas workers had only a 16.3% chance of earning similarly low wages, controlling for education, gender, and race (Waddoups, 2001).
Research findings gathered by UNLV social scientist Waddoups are illuminating in this respect, although they are yet to be replicated with more recent data. Furthermore, the demographic characteristics of Nevada unions should be documented, particularly since they may differ from the national figures due to the size of the service sector and service worker unions in Nevada (and the likelihood that a disproportionate number of these workers are women). The question is also open as to whether Nevada’s high unionization rate influences wages statewide. Nevada workers are less likely to be among the lowest-earners (see the chapter on income and poverty) than the national average, and it is possible that this relatively better position is partly due to unionization.
The Future of Labor Unions in Nevada
The implications of the recent national split of the AFL-CIO for Nevada unions are potentially large.
- Local members of the four unions that have left the AFL-CIO account for almost half of the 165,000 union workers in Nevada.
However, several of the unions that left the AFL-CIO nationally continue to be affiliated at the local and state level (as of October, 2005). It is still possible that these unions would disaffiliate at the local or state level in the future. Updated information about the Change to Win Coalition can be found at: http://changetowin.org/.
Employment Segregation
Employment segregation refers the differential distribution of women, men, ethnoracial minorities, and white workers across occupations and jobs (Padavic and Reskin, 2002). Such segregation contributes to income differences across gender and ethnoracial groups.
Employment segregation statistics indicate how race and gender influence people’s access to particular employment opportunities. The Federal Government provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) data for employers to use as a benchmark to compare the ethnoracial and sex composition of the workforce. These data are based on Census findings and are intended to help employers understand their workforce. The data also provide insight into geographic variation in labor markets. This report presents findings from 2000 EEO Tabulation data that are publicly available to illustrate key differences between employment segregation in Nevada and in the United States.
While men in the U.S. are generally spread somewhat evenly across the top 9 occupations, there is variation by ethnoracial category. Thus, white (non-Hispanic) and Asian men are over-represented among Management, Business, and Financial Workers, and their under-representation among Laborers and Helpers. Furthermore, Hispanic men are markedly over-represented among the U.S. laborers and helpers, while Black men are concentrated in service work (se Figure 2 for details).
The comparable Nevada data show a very different occupational picture. Most importantly,
- A ll men in Nevada are far more likely to be employed in service occupations than their counterparts across the nation. They are also less likely to be in management, business, finance, or other professional worker occupations.
- According to the avialable data, Nevda has a greater occupational segregation by ethnoracial category than the general U.S. population, particularly in regard to Hispanic men, who are overrepresented in construction and extractive craft work and as laborers and helpers.
While the Nevada trend mirrors that of the nation in this respect, it is like a warped mirror that exaggerates and renders more extreme the general trends (See Figure 3 for more details).
The occupational trends for women are similar to those of men in terms of ethnoracial segregation. Women, both in the U.S. more generally and in Nevada , tend to be more concentrated in fewer occupational groups than men. In the U.S., women are concentrated in administrative support and service work.
- Nearly half of all employed women in the U.S. work in these the serive occupations.
- Black women are underrepresented among administrative support workers – only 1.5% of black women work in such occupations nationally.
Given the history of racial privilege in the U.S., it is not surprising that white women are more likely than ethnoracial minority workers to be found in management, health care, and other professional occupations (See Figure 4 for details). The Nevada data illustrate some key divergences from the national trend in reagrd to women’s distribution across occupations.
- Just like men workers, all women workers in Nevada are more likely to be found in service occupations.
There are notable ethnoracial differences, however.
- Over 40% of Hispanic women are employed in the service occupations, as are nearly 40% of Asian women, compared to less than 20% of white, non-hispanic women, and only 28% of black women.
There are racial disparities in other occupational groups as well, with a greater proportion of white women employed in management, health care, and other profession occupations than other ethnoracial groups (more details can be found in Figure 5 in the appendix).
The following are key findings about employment segregation in Nevada:
- 61.6% of Hispanic men are employed in three major occupational groups: construction, laborers, and service work.
- Among men, service work is the dominant category (17.6%), and minority workers are overrepresented in this occupational group.
- Women are distributed much more unevenly across occupations than men.
- Over 1/2 of women in Nevada are employed in only 2 occupational groups: clerical and service work.
- Even more extreme sex segregation is found among minority women workers: 60.7% of Hispanic workers, 57.1% of black workers, and 56% of Asian workers were employed in clerical or service work.
It is important to recognize that educational differences contribute to workers’ occupational characteristics, as do society’s general patterns of gender and ethnoracial equality. As the data from the Silver State suggest, several groups of workers have a more difficult time accessing particular types of work in the state. While these trends do not necessarily prove racial discrimination in employment, they raise red flags and suggest the need for further inquiry into the issue.
The Work Ahead and Policy Implications
Community members are not in agreement about the merits of organized labor. While evidence suggests wages are higher for union workers and those in unionized industries, some employers believe that unions do not benefit the economy or workers. Thus, unionization efforts will continue to be somewhat contentious processes as unions attempt to expand and some employers resist their encroachment.
For employers and workers in the Silver State, it is important that Nevada is a “right to work” state. “Under NRS 613.250 Agreements prohibiting employment because of non-membership in labor organization are prohibited. No person shall be denied the opportunity to obtain or retain employment because of non-membership in a labor organization or shall the state, or any subdivision thereof or any corporation, individual or association of any kind enter into any agreement, written or oral, which excludes any person from employment or continuation of employment because of non-membership in a labor organization (1953)” (http://detr.state.nv.us/webmonitor/detr_faq.htm#Right_to_Work). Thus, even in unionized establishments, membership is not required for employment.
Compared to the unionization question, employment discrimination is a more simple issue to address. The following are specific recommendations on how we can prevent employment discrimination in Nevada:
- Increase advocacy from politicians, business, and community leaders for programs that address employment discrimination.
- Improve data gathering and fund research on the causes and consequences of discrimination in the workplace.
- Make readily available and disseminate widely data about Equal Rights complaints and resolutions in Nevada.
- Educate public about the meaning of and available remedies against discrimination in the workplace.
- Expand the Nevada Equal Rights Commission website to include information about sex discrimination and sexual orientation discrimination (beyond sexual harassment).
The Nevada Equal Rights Commission oversees the state’s equal rights program, handling reports of discrimination that violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In addition, discrimination based on sexual orientation is protected under Nevada Law, although not under federal law. The Nevada Equal Rights commission fielded approximately 1000 to 2000 complaints per year between 1999 and 2003, and expects to field more charges now that the time limit for discrimination complaints has been lengthened to be consistent with the federal guidelines (the previous limit of 180 days was expanded to 300).
If workers believe that they have encountered employment discrimination, they should report the discrimination to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, which is part of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation. Information is available on line at http://detr.state.nv.us/nerc/NERC_index.htm, Las Vegas office: 702-486-7162, Reno office: 775-688-1288.
Workers can also file federal charges with the district office in Los Angeles, although when workers file complaints with the state of Nevada, the charges are automatically dual-filed with the federal government, so filing independently with the federal government is redundant. Furthermore, this is important information for workers to have because the federal government does not dual file complaints with the state. Thus, if a complaint is filed first independently with the federal government, workers are unable to file a charge with the state, because it would result in identical complaints to the federal government. Despite this, the federal government has plans to open a field office in southern Nevada , since the number of complaints in the area is judged to be high enough justify a new field office. While the state of Nevada currently has adequate resources to field complaints, a federal office may expand awareness and offer greater resources for researching complaints. Federal Charges should be filed at the district office in LA: http://www.eeoc.gov/losangeles/index.html
Conclusion
A healthy economy that provides plentiful jobs is critical to the well-being of all Nevadans. The future of Nevada’s labor market appears bright, with continued growth of the economy predicted. The two key issues facing Nevada in the future are equal opportunity in employment and the question of how changes in unionization will affect Nevada’s workers.
Employment discrimination can take many forms (see the chapter on Aging Trends and Challenges for an example). This chapter has focused particularly on sex and ethnoracial discrimination in the labor market. Unfortunately for workers, discrimination can be very difficult to prove. Workers are often unaware that the treatment they are receiving as individuals may in fact reflect a pattern of discrimination in hiring or promotion. Employment organizations can work proactively to avoid such discriminatory practices by better understanding the local and regional workforce. To that end, the EEO benchmarks enable employers to gauge the supply of labor in any given market, although it is notable that those benchmarks are likely out of date in Nevada, particularly because the large increase in the Latina/o workforce.
Unionization rates in Nevada are relatively high compared to the rest of the country. Commentators disagree on whether this is good for the state. More detailed research examining the influence of unionization rates on the regional economy, in addition to workers wages may help to untangle the complex effects of unionization. Further, the influence of the recent AFL-CIO split on the future of union membership in Nevada remains unclear. These key issues are ripe for future research and analysis.
Data Sources and Suggested Readings
Note on Data Collection
Given the exceptionally high rate of change in the Nevada labor force, we badly need more current statistics that can be used as the EEO benchmarks for work organizations. The state does what it can to collect data, but there is a room for improvement, especially when it comes to the demographics (gender, race, and ethnicity) and contingent/informal workers. The best way to solve the data shortage problem is to fund a random sample survey of the state labor force to be conducted between national census years. Such a survey would furnish an accurate benchmark which can be used to assess the emerging trends in subsequent years.
Alexander, Courtney. 2002. “Rise to Power: The Recent History of the Culinary Union in Las Vegas,” pp. 145-175 in Hal K. Rothman and Mike Davis (eds.) The Grit Beneath the Glitter: Tales from the Real Las Vegas ( University of California Press: Berkeley ).
Center for Business and Economic Research, UNLV http://www.unlv.edu/Research_Centers/cber/nv-datalinks.html.
Center for the Study of Urban Poverty: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/issr/csup/index.php.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/.
Goodwin, Joanne L. 2002. “She Works Hard for Her Money”: A reassessment of Las Vegas Women Workers, 1945-1985 pp 243-259 in Hal K. Rothman and Mike Davis (eds.) The Grit Beneath the Glitter: Tales from the Real Las Vegas (University of California Press: Berkeley).
Hirsch, Barry T., David A. Macpherson and Wayne G. Vroman. 2001 “Estimates of union density by State.” Monthly Labor Review 51-55.
City of Reno Homepage: http://www.cityofreno.com/gov/.
Padavic, Irene and Barbara Reskin. 2002. Women and Men at Work, second edition (Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks).
Reskin, Barbara F. 1998. The Realities of Affirmative Action in Employment. (American Sociological Association: Washington, D.C.).
Sernau, Scott. 2006. Worlds Apart: Social Inequality in a Global Economy. Second Edition. (Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, CA).
U.S. Census Bureau, Equal Employment Opportunity: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/eeoindex/eeoindex.html
Waddoups, C. Jeffrey. 2001. “Unionism and poverty-level wages in the service sector: the case of Nevada’s hotel-casino industry.” Applied Economic Letters 8:163-167.
Waddoups, C. Jeffrey. 1999. “Union Wage Effects in Nevada’s Hotel and Casino Industry.” Industrial Relations 38:4: 577-583.
Wallerstein, Michael and Bruce Western. 2000. “Unions in Decline: What has Changed and Why?” Annual Review of Political Science 3: 355-377.
Community Resources
Change to Win Federation: http://changetowin.org/
HPDNC: Nevada Labor Links, Branch, Chapter, Local, Regional Organized Labor and Union Website Links: http://www.xpdnc.com/links/lousnv.html.
Nevada AFL-CIO: http://www.aflcionevada.com/.
Nevada Labor Commissioner: http://www.laborcommissioner.com/, enforces Nevada labor laws. The website provides a list of labor laws as well as information and forms for filing a complaint. This does not apply to discrimination complains, which are under the purview of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.
Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation, Information Development & Processing Division, Research & Analysis Bureau, 500 E. Third Street,
Carson City, NV 89713, 775-684-0450, http://www.nevadaworkforce.com/
United Labor Agency of Nevada (ULAN), a partnership between the AFL-CIO and United Way, provides various programs to assist union members and their families who have been victims of an accident, illness, layoff, disaster or any situation that has caused a hardship. The ULAN web site: http://www.ulan.org/. Tel. 702-648-3500. They are located in Las Vegas at 1201 N. Decatur, Suite 106.
Labor Unions in Nevada
The Nevada AFL-CIO Unions
Amalgamated Transit: http://www.atu308.org/site/epage/13720_421.htm.
Southern Nevada, 900 E. Karen Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89104. Tel. 702-731-9244, Fax. 702-731-6077.
American Federation of Government Employees: http://www.xpdnc.com/links/lousnv.html.
Southern Nevada: A.F.G.E. #1978. P.O. Box 60966, Boulder City, Nevada 89005. Tel. 702-293-8379. Fax 702-293-8832.
Northern Nevada: AM. FEDERATION OF GOV. EMP. #2152, Veteran’s Affairs, 1201 Terminal Way, Reno, NV 89502. Tel. 775-784-5663.
Asbestos Workers
Southern Nevada: Asbestos Workers #135, 1701 Whitney Mesa Drive, Suite 103, Henderson, NV 89014. Tel. 702-990-4990. Fax 702-990-4991.
Northern Nevada: ASBESTOS WORKERS #16, 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, Ste 220,
Alameda, CA 94502. Tel. 510-769-4800. Fax 510-769-480.
ASBESTOS WORKERS #69, 2261 S. Redwood Rd., Ste 11, Salt Lake City, UT 84119. Tel. 801-972-3945. Fax
801-972-8481.
Bartenders
Southern Nevada: Bartenders #165, P.O. Box 26238, Las Vegas, NV 89126.
Boilermakers
Southern Nevada: BOILERMAKERS #92, 260 Riverside Avenue, Bloomington, CA 92316-9998. Tel. 909-877-9382. Fax 909-877-8318.
Northern Nevada: BOILERMAKERS #182, 4707 South 300 West Murray, UT 84107. Tel. 801-281-9988. Fax 801-281-9990.
BOILERMAKERS #549, 2191 Piedmont Way Pittsburg, CA 94565. Tel. 925-427-4121. Fax 925-427-5980.
Bricklayers & Allied Crafts: http://www.aflcionevada.com/index.php?option=supporter§ion=Affiliated%20Unions&id=194.
Southern Nevada: Bricklayers and Allied Crafts Local 3, 3640 S. Highland
Las Vegas, NV 89103. Tel. 702-873-0332. Fax 702-873-0809.
Northern Nevada: BRICKLAYERS #1, 1150 Terminal Way. Tel. 775-323-5451. Fax 775-323-5499.
UNITE-HERE (Culinary Union): http://www.culinaryunion226.org/.
Southern Nevada: Local 165 Las Vegas, 4825 West Nevso Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103. Tel. 702-384-7774. Fax: 702-384-6213. Email: webmaster@herelocal165.org. Web site: http://www.herelocal165.org.
Local 226, 1630 South Commerce Street, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Tel. 702-385-2131. Fax: 702-386-9517. Email: webmaster@culinaryunion226.org. Web site: http://www.culinaryunion226.org.
Local 227, Laughlin c/o Local 226, 1630 S. Commerce Street, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Tel. 702-385-1197. Fax: 520-763-1288.
Northern Nevada: HOTEL EMP. & ESTAURANT EMP. #86, 100 West Grove St., #400, Reno, NV 89509. Tel. 775-689-8670.
Electrical Workers
Southern Nevada: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #357, 4322 E. Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, NV 89110. Tel. 702-452-9357. Fax
702-452-7191.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local #396, 3520 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas, NV 89121. Tel. 702-457-3011. Fax 702-457-7441.
Northern Nevada: INT’L BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS #401, P.O. Box 7058, Reno, NV 89510. Tel. 775-329-2566. Fax 775-329-5101.
INT’L BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS, Local #1245, P.O. Box 4790,
Walnut Creek, CA 94596. Tel. 510-933-6060.
Elevator Constructors
Southern Nevada: Elevator Constructors Local #18, 100 S. Mentor Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106. Tel. 626-449-1869. Fax 626-577-1055. 700 N. Lamb Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110. Tel. 702-453-3610, Ext. 232. Fax:
702-453-9834.
Northern Nevada: ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS #8, 400 Treat Ave., Ste E, San Francisco, CA 94110-1328. Tel. 415-431-9016. Fax 415-431-9035.
Firefighters
Southern Nevada: Firefighters Local #1285, 5650 W. Charleston #2,
Las Vegas, NV 89146. Tel. 702-878-7505. Fax 702-878-2869.
Firefighters #1908, 5650 W. Charleston Blvd. #4, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Tel. 702-870-1908. Fax 702-870-3014.
Henderson Firefighters, P.O. Box 90428, Henderson, NV 89015. Tel. 702-565-6551.
Fax 702-565-6552.
Northern Nevada: FIREFIGHTERS #731, 1150 Greg St., Sparks, Nevada 89431. Tel.
775-335-9010.
FIREFIGHTERS #1265, P.O. Box R, Sparks, NV 89432. Tel. 775-358-8562.
Glaziers
Southern Nevada: Glaziers Local #2001, 3432 North Bruce Street #4, North Las Vegas, NV 89030. Tel. 702-399-4555. Fax 702-399-8203
Northern Nevada: GLAZIERS #767, 2840 El Centro Rd., Ste 103, Sacramento, CA 95833. Tel. 916-929-4233. Fax 916-929-2140
Laborers
Southern Nevada: Laborers Local #872, 4201 E. Bonana Road #101, Las Vegas, NV 89110. Tel. 702-452-4440. Fax 702-452-4262.
Northern Nevada: LABORERS AGC #169, 570 Reactor Way, Reno, NV 89502. Tel. 775-856-0169. Fax 775-856-0177.
Letter Carriers
Southern Nevada, Nat'l Assn. of Letter Carriers, P.O. Box 97106, Las Vegas, NV 89193-7106. Tel. 702-736-5290. Fax 702-736-5295.
Northern Nevada: NATL ASSOC. OF LETTER CARRIERS #2778, P.O. Box 1022
Sparks, NV 89432-1022. Fax 775-359-3599.
NATL ASSOC. OF LETTER CARRIERS #709. P.O. Box 10091, Reno, NV 89510. Tel. 775-348-7094.
Operating Engineers and Stationary Engineers
Southern Nevada: Operating Engineers Local #501, 301 Deauville Street, Las Vegas, NV 89106. Tel. 702-382-8452. Fax 702-386-5813.
Operating Engineers Local #12, 150 E. Corson Street, Pasadena, CA 91109-7209. Tel. 626-792-1038. Fax 626-906-7450.
306 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106. Tel. 702-598-1212. Fax 702-598-1756.
Northern Nevada: OERATING ENGINEERS #3, 1290 Corporate Blvd., Reno, NV 89502. Tel. 775-329-5333. Fax 775-329-5422.
STATIONARY ENGINEERS #39, 337 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94103. Tel.
415-861-1135.
Painters and Allied Trades
Southern Nevada: PAINTERS #159, 1701 Whitney Mesa #105, Henderson, NV 89014. Tel. 702-452-2140. Fax 702-452-3062.
Northern Nevada: PAINTERS & ALLIED TRADES #567, 1819 Hymer Ave., Sparks, NV 89431. Tel. 775-356-8567. Fax 775-356-8522.
Paper, Allied Industry, Chemical & Energy Workers
Southern Nevada: Paper, Allied Industries, Chemical & Energy Workers Local #8-675 (Formerly OCAW #1-675), 1200 E. 220th Street, Carson, CA 90745-3505. Tel. 310-522-277. Fax 310-835-9324.
Pile Drivers
Southern Nevada: Pile Drivers Local #2375, 728 N. Lagoon Avenue, Wilmington, CA 90744-5499. Tel. 310-830-5300. Fax 310-830-2375.
Plasterers & Cement Masons
Southern Nevada: Plasters & Cement Masons Local #797, 4231 W. Oquendo Road,
Las Vegas, NV 89118. Tel. 702-452-9199. Fax 702-452-1475.
Northern Nevada: PLASTERERS & CEMENT MASONS #241, 1819 Hymer Ave., Sparks, NV 89431. Tel. 775-356-8567. Fax 775-356-8522.
Plumbers & Pipefitters
Southern Nevada: Plumbers & Pipefitters Local #525, 760 N. Lamb Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110. Tel. 702-452-1520. Fax 702-452-0029.
Northern Nevada: PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS #350, P.O. Box 1037, Sparks, NV 89432. Tel. 775-359-2142. Fax 775-359-2144.
Roofers
Southern Nevada: Roofers Local #162, 4125 Arctic Springs, Suites 5 & 6, Las Vegas, NV 89115. Tel. 702-453-5801. Fax 702-453-0426.
Northern Nevada: ROOFERS #162, 4125 Artic Spring Ave., Ste 56, Las Vegas, NV 89115. Tel. 702-453-5801. Fax 702-453-0426.
Theatrical Employees
Theatrical Employees, Southern Nevada, International Alliance of Theatrical Employees, District Two, 4413 Kay Place, Las Vegas, Nevada 89107. Tel. 702-870-7460. Fax 702-870-4514.
International Alliance of Theatrical Employees Local #720, 3000 S. Valley View Blvd.,
Las Vegas, NV 89102. Tel. 702-873-3450. Fax 702-873-4703
Northern Nevada: INT’L ASSOC. OF THEATRICAL AND STAGE EMPLOYEES, LOCAL #363, P.O. Box 9840, Reno, NV 89030. Tel. 775-786-2286. Fax 775-786-7150.
Typographers
Southern Nevada: Typographical Local #933, P.O. Bo 72411, Las Vegas, NV 89170. Tel. 702-736-6936. Fax 702-736-2926.
5980 Michelli Crest, Las Vegas, NV 89149. Tel. 702-386-4900. Fax 702-386-0982.
This chapter has been prepared by Anastasia H. Prokos, Assistant Professor of Sociology, UNLV, Department of Sociology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 455033, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5033. Tel. 702-895-0374, Email: prokosa@unlv.nevada.edu.
