Now some friends of Leech Lake Tribal Chair Archie LaRose are complaining that our Leech Lake Casino Workers Organizing Committee would not let them join and they are charging they have been the victims of "racial discriminated."
Since this has become a public dispute, with reporters from Fox News and Minnesota Public Radio who have never provided any coverage of our organizing activities before, as the Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council to which the Leech Lake Casino Workers Organizing Committee is affiliated, I will explain the situation here--- and since Fox News Television reporters and Minnesota Public Radio reporters are reading my FaceBook page they are free to quote me as they choose.
First; No one here has been discriminated against based on race.
Second; Each of our Organizing Committees is composed of members of all races employed in that particular casino--- including Leech Lakes' three casinos with a majority of each executive board being Native American.
Third; because these are organizing committees precautions have to be taken against infiltration by the casino managements since these casino managements have employed a number of detective agencies including Altegrity/USIS which is assisted by the FBI and the "Red" Squads centered around the Public Safety Commission here in Minnesota working in league with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and county and city police departments. Why these federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and departments are concerned about the activities of casino workers who strive for a safe and healthy working environment free from smoke and with tolerable noise limits as prescribed by various federal and state agencies while being paid poverty wages working without any rights beats me; let the reporters ask these agencies and police departments about this. Doesn't sound like a good investment of tax-dollars to me in these tight times where budget dollars are at a premium.
Fourth; It is up to each Organizing Committee's Executive Board--- all of which are interracial--- to vote, a simple majority vote, on who is allowed to be on the Organizing Committees.
Fifth; The characters in question, and to refer to them as "characters" is being rather nice since they are known to associate with the Native Mob and Archie LaRose whose position as Chair of the Leech Lake Tribal Council places him as the head of management of Leech Lake's three casinos- The Palace, White Oak and Northern Lights.
We would be complete fools to welcome such characters into our Organizing Committees.
My suggestion to these "characters" is that if they want to become part of a union so bad is that they convince their friend Archie LaRose to sit down and negotiate a contract with us and then all the workers from these three casinos, including these "characters," will be in the union and free to run for union office and participate in the union as they so choose.
My suggestion to Fox News and Minnesota Public Radio reporters is that since they will be doing a first story in over twenty years on labor/management problems relating to the Indian Gaming Industry and Leech Lake's three casinos, is that they look into the working conditions and pay of casino workers. They might begin with interviews of the foundation funded outfits receiving financial contributions from the Indian Gaming Association whose funding they receive to keep their noses out of the smoke-filled casinos where they would be forced to explain using science and medical information what happens to people forced to work in these smoke-filled casinos day after day--- yes, go interview the directors of the American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Heart and Lung Foundation and talk to Congressmember Keith Ellison about what this smoke does for people with Asthma.
As for interviewing me; I have nothing to talk to you pricks about.