Workers Struggle For Justice In Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry

Workers Struggle For Justice In Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry

" Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this we had no delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks, nor keys and therefore among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent or a blanket, he, in that case receive all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to private property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth.  We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white man arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society."                                                                                                                                                       -John (Fire) Lame Deer, Sioux Lakota 1903-1976 

By Pancho Valdez

The history of the American Indian Gaming Industry goes back over 20 years as a "means of addressing" poverty, alcoholism, massive unemployment, poor educational opportunities, poor housing, lack of health care services, all very prevalent social problems on the reservations where many Native American people continue to reside. While the intent may have been good, the reality is that the casinos where over 40,000 Minnesotans work have proved to be a bandaid for the aforementioned problems and in of themselves, another social problem for members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Lower Sioux Community, Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Shakopee Ndewakanton Sioux Community, Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa, Prairie Island Indian Community (Sioux) , Upper Sioux Community, White Earth Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. The different bands and tribes are "owners" of the casinos and have formed their own trade association called the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA). 

According to Alan Maki, Director of Organizing for the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council workers at these casinos are for the most part women, about 65%, about half of the total workforce are people of color with about 7,000 of which are Native American, are for the most part under age 35 and earn an average annual income of around $10,500, hardly a living wage in today's economy. Maki went on to say that the workers are exposed to high amounts of noise and cigarette smoke as the casinos are exempt from regulation by any municipal, state or federal enforcement agencies including OSHA, EEOC, NLRB and the U.S. Department of Labor. Because these gaming facilities are on Indian reservations, federal laws grant them sovereignty from all regulatory enforcement agencies except law enforcement.(Minnesota is one of few states where Minnesota law enforcement has jurisdiction on the Indian reservation) Upon applying for an accepting casino jobs, workers must sign a pledge that states they will not join a union and if they do, they are subject to being fired for such. Maki stated that paying workers less than minimum wage, denying them over time for work performed over 40 hours and other laws and regulations that protect other American workers have no standing in the casinos. 

Rank and file casino workers began organizing their own union in 2000 as unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO refused to assist them. Maki attributes this reluctance to organize the Native American casino workers to three things: 1) the workers are not covered by existing labor relations agencies, 2) The campaign funding from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association to the Minnesota Democratic Farm-Labor Party (the name of the Democratic Party in Minnesota also known as DFL ) The DFL has very close relations with organized labor in Minnesota and the AFL-CIO will not do anything to "offend" the DFL. 3) Racism towards the Native American peoples from both the DFL, the AFL-CIO, organized crime and John McCarthy, the MIGA executive director. According to Maki, the Teamsters and AFT pension funds are among the largest investors in Indian Gaming operations. The Building & Construction Trades have a "sweetheart agreement" with the Indian Gaming Association to hire union labor however the workers do not enjoy the protection of a union contract or Project Management Agreement. Again neither state or federal building, health and safety inspectors are permitted onto the job sites and Affirmative Action is not enforced. Aside from low wages and the lack of on the job democracy casino workers in MIGA sanctioned facilities are subjected to high exposure of smoke from patrons smoking cigars, cigarettes and pipes. The former head of Indian Health Services under President Bush described casino operations "the modern day equivalent to small pox laden blankets!" Maki went on further to say that neither the American Cancer Society, the American Heart or American Lung Associations raise any fuss on these deplorable working conditions as all three receive contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has developed strong ties to politicians of both the Minnesota Republican and Minnesota Democratic Farm-Labor Party. It is these ties that make obtaining justice for the over 40,000 casino workers almost an impossible task as these politicians do not and will not do anything contrary to the interests of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association because of MIGA's political contributions to both parties. The irony of MIGA is that while it appears to be "Indian owned and Indian controlled" the reality is the opposite. John McCarthy a white man is the executive director of MIGA. McCarthy is also the owner of Tony Doom Supply Company an enterprise that produces political campaign materials like yard signs, buttons, etc. The company also sells business forms, office machines and furniture, and produces promotion materials for businesses such as coffee mugs, clothing, caps. 

While the Native Americans own the casinos and the debts that are incurred, the mob owns the slot machines and table games through what Maki describes as "a complex maze of franchises." The mob takes in anywhere from 30-80% of everything that goes into the slot machines and table games. Maki traces the ownership of the slot machines and table games back to an Alvin Malnik out of Florida who inherited the "family business" from gangster Meyer Lansky who used to own casinos in Cuba prior to the revolution in 1959. The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) works with the mob through the slot machines and table games as well as contracting mobsters like the Fertitta family to "manage" some of the casinos. Through this kind of arrangement the Fertitta family is assured 85% of all profits from the new Gun Lake Casino in Michigan through a contract with the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi, formerly known as the Gun Lake Tribe. The Fertitta family is known to the Justice Department as one of the "first families" of organized crime. Frank Fertitta and his people have been involved with casino operations in Kansas City, Las Vegas and California. With such arrangements it becomes easy to see how the gaming industry isn't as beneficial to the Native American peoples as the NIGA would have the public believe.

According to the website of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association funds from the casinos is divided up as follows: 28% for healthcare, 22% for government operations (no specifics), 20% for education, 13% for housing/economic development, 10% for human services, and 7% for infrastructure. Despite the fact that the casinos have been in operation since the late 1980's, Native American peoples in Minnesota continue to live in extreme poverty, sub-standard housing, receive inadequate healthcare services and less than adequate education for their children. According to a Harvard University study in 2005, living conditions "improved" more for gaming tribes than non-gaming tribes in the years 1990- 2000. Unfortunately no one knows exactly how much of the revenue is going into the reservations as tribal leaders refuse to divulge this information even to members of the tribes. The Red Lake Tribal Council insisted that the Red Lake Gaming Enterprises be audited by a reputable auditing firm, Touche and Anderson. When auditors arrived to conduct the audit they were denied access to the information by the Chief Financial Officer. According to Alan Maki  records for three casinos, a hotel, a motel, two restaurants and an indoor water park were kept in shoe boxes at the home of the Chief Financial Officer! This is a major factor why Meyer Lansky began the Indian Gaming Industry as he knew that no municipal, state or federal agency could hold the casino owners accountable for the finacial records of the gaming businesses. 

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry's website also posted the following unmet needs that the tribes in Minnesota face on a daily basis: 1) Native American life expectancy is 2.4 years shorter than other Americans, 2) Native Americans are three times more likely to die from diabetes related complications, 3) Native Americans are six times more likely to die of alcohol related causes, 4) Native Americans are five times more likely to die of tuberculosis, 5) Native Americans are five times more likely to be victims of homicide, 6) Native American adults are twice as likely to commit suicide, 7) Native Americans under 18 years of age are three times likely to commit suicide, 8) Native American infants are twice as likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), 9) Native Americans are three times likely to die from motor vehicle accidents. 

Conclusion/Possible Solutions: Clearly the situation of indigenous people in the state of Minnesota is neither acceptable or just. One can only imagine that similar or worse conditions exist in other states including Texas where the Kickappoo and Alabama-Coushatta tribes own and operate casinos. (According to the web, the state of Texas successfully sued and shut down the Alabama-Coushatta casino) 

For Minnesota, Alan Maki has assisted in organizing the casino workers into a democratic union of their own choosing. He said that when casino management was prepared to recognize the Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council, the AFL-CIO stepped in and offered the bosses a "better deal."This offer is clearly a violation of the worker's right to self determination as well as highly unethical. Only through a union of their choosing will the wages and working conditions improve. Workers employed at Indian Gaming enterprises deserve to have the same protection as other American workers. While sovereignty of the Indian nations should be respected and continued, sovereignty should not be an excuse to exploit and oppress workers. With improvement in the wages the conditions on the reservations will also improve. 

Maki has also advocated for a joint venture between the state of Minnesota and the Indian Tribes that would entail a slot machine manufacturing plant that would employ around 2,000 Native Americans in good paying jobs and also be instrumental in ridding the Minnesota Indian gaming industry of the organized crime element. With the absence of the mob, all proceeds would go directly into benefitting the various tribes to improve the delivery of health and human services, schools and economic development on the reservations. However along with the mob the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the Minnesota AFL-CIO remain the chief opponents of such a joint venture. 

Maki also went on to mention that some (not all) of the tribal governments have been corrupted and are not interested in making working conditions and pay better for the casino workers. Unfortunately they have learned that for them as individuals, capitalism is a good thing and the situations of the other members of the tribes are of no consequence to them. Corruption of local tribal governments along with corruption in the Bureau of Indian Affairs is common and a festering issue amongst various indigenous tribes not only in Minnesota, but across the nation!

Other solutions would entail for the federal government to improve upon funding for the Indian Health Services program as underfunding has resulted in less than adequate healthcare for the workers and their families. Maki mentioned that the health benefits offered by the casinos is not that good and in fact many physicians and dentists in the northern part of Minnesota will not accept the casino health plan due to slow processing of payments. 

For the 41,700 gaming industry workers the situation is clearly grave and depending on those entitities created to address the issues is near hopeless! By getting the word out it is this author's sincere hope that the wheels of justice will begin turning in favor of the workers, their families and their communities. Anyone wishing to learn more about this situation can contact Alan Maki, Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council: alanmaki1951@gmail.com 

 

=Pancho Valdez is a veteran civil rights, labor and peace activist of more than 45 years. He can be reached at: 210-422-8000 or at: mestizowarrior59@yahoo.com 

Caucus night in Minnesota Tuesday, February 7, 2012... participate; defend your rights and your livelihoods

From: Alan Maki 

Date: Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: FW: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus

To: Mostafa Chatraei
Cc: info@jamesmayer.org, info@alfranken.com, info@pdamerica.org, info@democracyforamerica.com, info@pnhp.org, info@uslaboragainstwar.org, Leah Daughtry , War Times , info@mnfaireconomy.org, editor@tcdailyplanet.net, Unions for Single Payer HR676 , "Editor Southsidepride.com" , editor@indiancountry.com, editor@workdayminnesota.org, Haiti Progres , Latino Policy eNewsletter , rob@opednews.com, Voters for Peace , "Anthony D. Romero ACLU" , Rocky Anderson , Doug Henwood , eric.lehto@afscmemn.org, Dave Culver , Lydia Howell , Harry Targ , Immanuel Wallerstein , Vote Vets , congressman@jessejacksonjr.org, Amalgamated Transit Union , Jeremy Lyons , Laura Bonham , Robert Naiman , NeighborsFor Peace , Masood Naji , Nahid Shahabi , Vijay Prashad , "Dr. M. A. Quassem" , rep.bill.hilty@house.mn, rep.tom.anzelc@house.mn, rep.patti.fritz@house.mn, rep.al.juhnke@house.mn, rep.dan.fabian@house.mn, rep.phyllis.kahn@house.mn, rep.larry.hosch@house.mn, rep.ron.shimanski@house.mn, rep.ann.lenczewski@house.mn, sen.david.tomassoni@senate.mn, sen.linda.higgins@senate.mn, Carl Levin , shove001@tc.umn.edu, sjgluck@aol.com, Green Biz UMN Student Group , usuncutmn@gmail.com, Rabbi Arthur Waskow , richardwinger@yahoo.com, sknutson@mnaflcio.org, "Steve Linnerooth (steven51fbe@mac.com)" , Steven Clift , War Resisters , David Holmbeck , davidbednarczuk@hotmail.com, davido@prairiehome.us, Crazy Dave , suzykoch@comcast.net, Sue Ann , GREG and SUE SKOG , advocacy@clw.org, Michael Eisenscher , medea@globalexchange.org, Jason Mann , Mike Madden , mike@michaelmoore.com, Mike Hersh , mikehersh.com@verizon.net, mikej@senate.mn, mike.opat@co.hennepin.mn.us, Liz Cattaneo , Lennox Farrell


Mostafa and all,

I am asking everyone receiving this e-mail to do just what billionaire Warren Buffet is asking people to do; forward this e-mail on to at least 20 people on your e-mail list--- preferably many more. Please feel free to attach your own thoughts, too, and send to the names in the "CC" and "TO" so we get a full and well-rounded discussion going.

Your e-mail, attached below, is highly misleading and lacking the concerns of working people. Please consider forwarding this entire e-mail to your e-mail list to clarify things.

You might want to inform the people you sent this to that Precinct Caucus Night in Minnesota is Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

They have to check with their Party organization for the location.

I would suggest that people also submit resolutions on these topics, too:

1. Get out of Afghanistan.

2. Make the minimum wage a real living wage tied to all cost of living factors used by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics with quarterly updates/corrections.

3. Bring the "green" St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and hydro dam under public ownership as an industrial unit producing components for mass transit and/or components for a "green economy"--- wind, solar, etc. This is a perfectly useful plant that has been re-tooled over and over again which has been subsidized to the hilt by tax-payers.

4. End the trade embargo against Cuba and North Korea.

5. Close all loop-holes preventing the enforcement of Affirmative Action in Minnesota. No approval from the governor or state legislature for township, city, county, state or private-public projects/ventures unless Affirmative Action has been enforced in line with Federal Executive Order Number 11246. Establish a "Minnesota Governor's Advisory Council for the Enforcement of Affirmative Action."

6. Establish a national public health care system--- no fees/no premiums, all inclusive, comprehensive, pre-natal through burial, publicly financed, publicly administered and publicly delivered. This would create over 10-million new, good-paying jobs.

7. Establish a national public child care system. This would create over 3-million now jobs.

8. Re-establish the Civilian Conservation Corps without its militaristic characteristics.

9. Re-establish the WPA.

10. Unemployment from time of job loss until time of becoming employed.

And, last, but not least; 

11. A moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions along with legislation mandating the banks, mortgage companies and lending institutions to refinance homes, farms and small businesses in line with economic conditions and real market values at affordable interest rates not to exceed 3%.

12. I would also suggest that people include a resolution requiring all state agencies, departments and universities to divest all financial instruments which go to supporting the Israeli killing machine.

Of course we need both the reform of Congress as suggested by billionaire Warren Buffet--- along with electoral reform creating a multi-party system befitting a real democracy; but, I don't think it was right for you to send out these suggestions from this billionaire who completely ignores the very real problems working people are experiencing.

My suggestion would be that you advise people to attend their Precinct Caucuses here in Minnesota on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the designated Place as posted by the political party either on their web page or by calling. For instance, for the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, people can obtain the place where their Precinct Caucus will be held by calling toll-free: 1-800-999-7457.

It is required that all resolutions be placed on resolution forms which may be obtained by calling:  1-800-999-7457

Resolutions can be hand-written or pre-printed on the forms.

I would suggest the people take their cameras to the precinct caucus to photograph the signed resolutions as they are voted on and that photographs of all persons participating in the caucus be taken because precinct caucus resolutions tend to "disappear" between the precinct caucus and the next higher body where they are supposed to be considered again.

I would also strongly suggest and encourage everyone submitting these resolutions should agree to support at least one of the voters for these resolutions to run for county convention delegate and at the county convention run for state convention delegate.

Everyone participating in the precinct caucuses, county conventions, nominating conventions and the state convention should be thoroughly familiar with Robert's Rules of Order and all the rules governing Precinct Caucuses.

I would note that "party hacks" and union bureaucrats have a habit of trying to manipulate and control the proceedings. Of course, like in the MNDFL you have the Summit Hill Club of the big-money people and their very skilled attorneys always seeking to control and manipulate the Precinct Caucuses with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association being very active in trying to undermine democracy, too.

I would encourage people to vigorously object to any Precinct Caucuses or other party functions being held in any of the casinos and/or casino properties in Minnesota where employees are all forced to work in these loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws.

I would further note that Tony Doom Supply Company which provides political parties and politicians with everything from yard signs to pencils is now owned by John McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association who hands out with one hand campaign contributions from the profits derived from Indian Gaming and with his other hand takes these campaign contributions for his own personal profit--- highly dishonest, immoral and unethical if not illegal which perverts and undermines the entire democratic process.

I would also encourage you to enlighten yourself and others about the new Justice Party that has been formed that will be running Rocky Anderson, the former mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah for President giving people an alternative to Wall Street's two major political parties. You might want to check out the Justice Party which advocates reforms for Congress and the political process that are light-years ahead of your Obama-backing billionaire Warren Buffet's suggestions: http://www.justicepartyusa.net/

I would note that Jill Stein is also running for president attempting to get the Green Party nomination; Jill has an excellent program and platform... check it out: http://www.jillstein.org/

And here in Minnesota, peace, social and economic justice activist Michael Cavlan is running for the United States Senate against Amy "Republican Lite" Klobuchar. Cavlan is supporting Justice Party presidential candidate Rocky Anderson. You can find Michael on FaceBook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Cavlan-for-for-US-Senate-2012/122110937819816

Michael Cavlan has an advertisement up and running and I would strongly encourage you to watch this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9jLW3cupCFo

Of very important note is the candidacy of Marcus Harcus running in the Minnesota DFL Primary against Joe Mullery to provide the residents of North Minneapolis with a real voice in the Minnesota State Legislature. Marcus is running in House District 58-A.

Troy Parker is running for Minnesota State Senate. Troy is a member of the NAACP, the Pipefitter's Union-AFL-CIO, a fighter against racism and for full equality for all peoples. Troy is a strong advocate for enforcing Affirmative Action. Troy Parker is running for Minnesota State Senate District 58. Check Troy out at: http://www.troyparkerforsenate.com/ 

Troy Parker can be found on FaceBook at: http://www.facebook.com/troyparkerminneapolis?ref=ts

Delmar Jones III is running for the position of the Leech Lake Nation Tribal Chair. I would encourage you to check out and support Delmar in any way you can. Delmar can be contacted through his FaceBook page:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1411244999&ref=ts 

Don't forget to ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers: How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you?  

Please feel free to contact me--- all my contact information is listed below and I can be found on FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/alan.l.maki?ref=tn_tnmn

I hope you have found this information useful and helpful.

We need to break free from Wall Street's "two-party trap" while being aware many people will still be seeking the change we all want through the Democratic Party and other parties. We should be supporting everyone working towards our goals and objectives of peace, full equality and jobs for all. This requires working smart in electoral politics in a way that complements our struggles at work, in our communities and in the streets aiming to improve our lives and livelihoods as we defend and advance democracy in a way that takes the words on paper in our Constitution and Bill of Rights together with the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights--- from words on pieces of paper in turning these words into reality for us all. 

Yours in the struggle,

Alan

On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Mostafa Chatraei <mostafachatraei@msn.com> wrote:

---

Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:42:21 -0600
Subject: Fwd: Fw: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus
From: shahabi.nahid@gmail.com
To: 

Subject: suggested resolutions to submit at upcoming Caucus

 

Winds of Change....

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.
   (I'm suggesting these numbered items be submitted as Resolutions, to be submitted at your Jan 3 Caucus.)

_*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*_
1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive  the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.
You are one of my 20+ - Please keep it going, and thanks.

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Some thoughts about politics and poverty

Years ago I had a long discussion about poverty and unemployment with United States Congressman Guy Vander Jagt of Michigan; I asked him if he wasn’t concerned about how the unemployed people and the poor would vote.

This right-wing conservative Christian Reformed Congressman replied, very callously, “I won’t get overly concerned with unemployment and the poor until they outnumber the people who are working. Until that time I’m not going to worry about you bringing these people out to vote against me.”

That was in the early 1970′s as Wall Street investors were just beginning their shift to high-tech automation while already beginning to move our industrial base to cheap labor markets.

Now, however, Wall Street has just about completed its destruction of our basic industries in mining, steel and auto.

And with this shift Congressman Guy Vander Jagt’s worst nightmare has begun to come true— in states like Congressman Guy Vander Jagt’s Michigan, about half the people are now poor with well over 40% either long-term unemployed, under-employed, working at poverty wage jobs or at jobs where unions have “negotiated” concessions as part of this “new” breed of labor leadership’s idea of “class struggle” which sees many of the auto workers still employed working at poverty wages— and if you are being paid poverty wages you are going to be poor.

It used to be fairly easy for these worthless politicians like Congressman Guy Vander Jagt to speak very callously towards the poor; now, when these bozos get elected by dumb people who think they are smart they, like Wisconsin Governor Walker and Michigan Governor Snyder are facing some major opposition… but, the problem is the Democrats are no better except they pander to the poor for votes by pretending to be concerned; but like with Obama and Minnesota Governor Dayton who pose and posture as liberals in public at election time as  they do their duty behind closed doors to help their billionaire 1% class by pushing the entire working class into deeper poverty with most of the real liberals, progressive and the left afraid to challenge these hypocrites by asking the American people:

How is Barack Obama’s Wall Street war economy working for you?

I don’t understand why there is this fear of asking this question? What better question is there to ask American voters as we approach Election Day?

I guess people are afraid to ask this question because they will be called “Communists;” just like they call people who insist the wealth be redistributed through the creation of universal social programs when these phony “liberals” are pandering to this crap that “the free market will solve our problems if we help the entrepreneurs and small businesses.” The problem with this is that these “entrepreneurs” and “small businesses” are paying the lowest of the poverty wages and paying poor people poverty wages sure doesn’t solve the problem of poverty no matter how many jobs are created.

Poor people will continue to be poor and more people are going to become poor until we break ourselves free from Wall Street’s “two-party trap” and we seek solutions to our problems outside of the capitalist “box.”

And it sure doesn’t help matters any to have the wealth of our nation squandered on militarism and wars— as if we are all so rich we can empty our pockets into the ocean.

We had better start to think in terms of massive universal government social programs as the way to rescue us all from poverty while solving our pressing problems.

One example of what we need to do, sooner rather than later, is solve our health care mess by creating a National National Public Health Care System which would create over ten-million jobs providing the American people with world-class health care.

I have never heard anyone except Democrats and Republicans complain about getting a pay-check signed by the government. The irony here is that those like the President and members of the House and Senate get the biggest government pay-checks— well, almost the biggest because those getting the biggest government handouts are the Wall Street coupon clippers pulling their strings.

Congressman Guy Vander Jagt is long dead and buried; capitalism is limping along. It is time to stop feeding this sick system and bury the beast before it kills us all with its militarism, wars, unemployment and poverty.

Come to think of it; these dirty imperialist Wall Street wars are going to make us all poor--- except the rich who get richer from the profits made from war.

Before you put your hard-earned money into the "one-armed bandits" of the Indian Gaming Industry this holiday season, here are some facts you should know...

I have been suggesting--- for 8 years--- that the state of Minnesota and the Indian Nations should go into a joint venture manufacturing slot machines. This joint-venture would create around 2,000 good-paying high-tech jobs while getting organized crime out of the Indian gaming business.

Quite literally, over a twenty year period, trillions of dollars would be pumped into Native American communities as a result of all the proceeds derived from Indian gaming going back to Indians instead of wealthy white mobsters who now take anywhere from 35% to 65% right off the top from all the money that goes into each and every slot machine in the United States. 

I personally met with every single State Representative and State Senator, including your own--- Tom Rukavina and David Tomassoni--- with this proposal.

The Democratic Party and organized labor seek out and use the conference, convention and banquet/party facilities of the Indian Gaming Industry instead of using union organized hotels and other facilities.

I suggested that the start-up funds come from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and a factory be built where it would employ members of the Red Lake, White Earth and Leech Lake bands; people suffering from the highest unemployment rates in the country. 

But, the obstacle to this very common sense proposal is that EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s legislative caucus receives huge campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association whose Executive Director, John McCarthy, is a white man who represents the interests of the owners of the slot machines and table games not the Indian people.

Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA):
http://www.mnindiangamingassoc.com/contacts.html

The IRRRB would get back its investment for a change, too, instead of the money going to finance boon-doggles like the peat mining project now destroying the largest freshwater aquifer in the lower-forty-eight in the Big Bog which will create at most 30 jobs with people being paid $8.00 an hour by the Canadian multi-national corporation out of Quebec, Canada--- Berger Peat. Tax-payers have now invested over twenty-million dollars in this boon-doggle. 

What you suggest is something we should all get together and push for. It would cost a lot less to build a factory to manufacture slot machines than what it cost to build the new prison in Red Lake--- plus it’s much cheaper to create jobs like this than to put poor people in prison.

As a side note; John McCarthy now owns Tony Doom Supply Company, a company that produces campaign materials like yard signs for politicians. So, with one hand here we have John McCarthy doling out the proceeds derived from “Indian” gaming, and with the other hand he is raking in this money for himself. Indian Gaming has become quite the “racket” in the full sense of the word--- Al Capone, Bugsy Siegle and Meyer Lansky must be smiling.

McCarthy purchased Tony Doom Supply Company with money he has stolen from Native American Indians--- How many Native Americans are employed by Tony Doom Supply Company?

http://www.tonydoom.com/about.html

Oh, I forgot to mention, a little old man--- Alvin Malnik, in Boca Raton, Florida, actually owns, through a complex network of “franchises” issued to his “family,” every single slot machine in the Indian Gaming Industry--- the little old man inherited the “family business” from mobster Meyer Lansky whose big brain-fart gave creation to the Indian Gaming Industry because Lansky needed three things: 

1. A way to make money once his casinos were kicked out of Cuba; 

2. A place where he would not have to maintain financial records;

3. A place where his rackets would be virtually free from police and regulation by government agencies.

I also pitched this idea about a joint state-federal-tribal venture manufacturing slot machines for the Indian Gaming Industry, in person, to none other than Barack Obama in a three hour meeting with him--- but, guess what? Barack Obama receives millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the National Indian Gaming Association and its affiliated members.

Obama also receives campaign funds from the Fertitta Family which manages through their Colony Casino empire, many of the casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry. The Fertitta’s are known to the United States Department of Justice to be one of the “first families” of organized crime in the United States. The Fertitta's have been involved with the Kansas City Mob in their casino "skimming operations."

We hear a lot of hot-air from Obama and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton about the need for government to bolster the “entrepreneurial spirit” and to subsidize “small business.” But, when it comes to creating jobs for Indian people manufacturing the slot machines for what is supposed to be their industry, the Indian Gaming Industry, everything goes into the pockets of these white mobsters while the Native American people are plunged further into poverty resulting from the huge debts they underwrite--- because, as any economist knows, a nation in heavy debt is going to be poor.

Everyone, except for Indians, are walking off with the profits from Indian Gaming.    

As for labor issues:

Workers in the Indian Gaming Industry have NO rights. None. Not under state, federal or tribal laws.

Workers are forced to work in loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos.

With very few exceptions all are paid poverty wages--- some less than the minimum wage because the U.S. Department of Labor refuses to enforce the minimum wage as well as things like hours and working conditions. Not even the Family Leave Act is enforced.

Rank-and-file casino workers began to organize in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in about 2000. We had to create a self-financed organizing council because the AFL-CIO unions refused to support the effort. In fact, the few times we have had some of these casino managements just about ready to recognize us these unions stepped forward and told these casino managements they would "give them a better deal." I sent John Sweeney a tape recording I made of a four hour meeting I had with Minnesota AFL-CIO president Ray Waldron in which Waldron repeatedly made comments like, "I'm not going to let a bunch of reds take over this state  fed--- I don't care if they are Indians or Communists like you."

All of the attacks on us coming from organized labor result because the Democratic Party is so heavily funded by the National and State Indian Gaming Associations.

The Democratic Party created the "Compacts"--- the joint tribal/state/federal agreements--- giving birth to the Indian Gaming Industry.

Democrats, with organized labor looking over its shoulder, as a favor to Alvin Malnik, made sure  these "Compacts" would exclude workers rights.

In fact, the Teamster and Teacher Union pension funds are among the largest investors in Indian Gaming operations.

The Building and Construction Trades unions have a sweat-heart agreement with the Indian Gaming Associations to hire union labor except the workers do not work under the protection of a union contract or Project Management Agreement. State and federal building, health and safety inspectors are prohibited from coming on these job sites. Affirmative Action is not enforced.

The head of the Indian Health Service under George Bush described these casino operations forcing workers to work in smoke-filled casinos as, "The modern day equivalent to small pox laden blankets." The American Cancer Society and the Heart and Lung Foundation who have pushed smoke-free workplaces for years remain silent concerning the Indian Gaming Industry which provides the foundation-funded outfits with millions of dollars.

News media remain silent; never probing the labor aspect of the Indian Gaming Industry because Indian Gaming has become the number one purchaser of advertising in the United States. Look at any newspaper, listen to any radio station or watch any television station and you will see ad after ad for Indian Gaming.

Note: My blogs contain a lot more information including information on our struggle to organize casino workers at the Gun Lake Casino that has become notorious because it was at the center of sending Jack Abramoff to prison. Some of this, albeit very distorted and inaccurate, came out in the movie: Casino Jack. The Fertitta Family now manages the Gun Lake Casino south of Grand Rapids, Michigan in exchange for receiving 85% of the casino's profits.

Also, the movie "Casino" is based on the true story taken from Gary Hart's prosecution of Frank Fertitta and members of the Kansas City Mob.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm refused to insist that casino workers receive all the protections all other workers enjoy under state and federal labor laws before signing the "Compact" creating the Gun Lake Casino.

Workers in the Indian Gaming Industry are forced to sign statements as a condition of their employment starting that if they become involved in union organizing they we be terminated immediately.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has reneged on the three point agreement he made with us in return for supporting him. Neither Dayton nor ANY candidate receiving campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association or any of the associations affiliated with the National Indian Gaming Association will receive our endorsement or support; instead, we will work to defeat these candidates regardless of party affiliation.

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

It has "occurred" to many of us that something is drastically out of kilter in this country... What are we going to do about it?

Cindy Sheehan posted this on her FaceBook wall today:



 "It occurs to me after another "end" to the "war" in Iraq; my son and hundreds of thousands of other people are dead for absolutely nothing good. Dead for lies for profit."



I think this is "occurring" now to many people especially as we see the Iraqi people celebrating U.S. troops leaving their country by burning U.S. flags as the same corporate owned U.S. MainStreamMedia that force-fed us all the lies about why this dirty imperialist war was needed is trying to feed us another lie that "the U.S. flag is being brought home."



Now tax-payer funded mercenaries provided the name of "contractors" have been charged with the effort to "maintain law-and-order" as the Iraqi people complete their civil war over whether multi-national corporations will rob them of their oil using them as sources of cheap labor.



As the great anti-imperialist Mark Twain explained, "I wasn't an anti-imperialist until our government got involved in the Spanish-American War."



Now that it is "occurring" to many people here at home and around the world that this war (an imperialist war) has been fought for the exact same reasons as the Spanish American War--- to secure cheap natural resources and regional domination for "policing" these areas of the world to maintain Wall Street's ability to reap maximum profits, the American people are now getting the bill to pay for it all via the most draconian austerity measures being imposed by Obama, we will no doubt find many people saying, "I wasn't an anti-imperialist until the war in Iraq."



Something to think about: After over one-hundred years we are still paying for this country's very first imperialist war--- the Spanish American War--- and we still have the U.S. military "policing" both the Philippines and Puerto Rico.



The United States government honors Mark Twain with a "Forever" postage stamp without so much as a mention that he was a great anti-imperialist who tried to warn the American people about the need to resist imperialist wars while encouraging us to join the struggles in solidarity with the victims of these imperialist wars lest we become the victims of these dirty imperialist wars ourselves.



We have had many great anti-imperialists amongst us--- from Mark Twain to General Smedley Butler to W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson and Albert Einstein who the despicable pervert J. Edgar Hoover viciously smeared and attacked for his anti-imperialist activities as "having more Communist friends than Joseph Stalin."



A dirty, corrupt, profit-driven Wall Street government can only continue to get us involved in imperialist war after imperialist war. Wall Street is our enemy and the enemy of peoples everywhere.



The time has come for the 99% to challenge Wall Street for power.



A good, solid, united anti-imperialist movement in this country would go a long way towards driving these Wall Street shills like Obama from power.



Anti-imperialist education, organization, struggle and solidarity... Forever.



Mark Twain should be honored with more than his picture on a postage stamp if we are ever going to live in peace and cooperation with the rest of the world.

What is this country coming to?

We sure have a bunch of lazy bastards in this country.

I just read about this guy named Herne who has college degrees up the wazoo who is complaining he can't find a job.

I'm telling you; the guy doesn't want to work. He wants to begin his working career as an Administrative Assistant to the governor or something.

I asked Herne: Have you tried applying for a poverty wage paying job at Wal-mart or looked into working at one of the smoke-filled casinos dotting Minnesota?

Probably not; you are just another lazy bastard looking for a real living wage job in a healthy working environment. If you can't find a job with all your degrees in the private sector, I suggest you check out the jobs available in the public sector--- Uncle Sam would love to have you.

If all this fails, come on up and apply for one of these "middle class" jobs offered so kindly by the Marvin Family working in their big yellow building adorned with pretty roses.

What a bunch of lazy bastards we have in this country. They can't find a job for what they spent on a college education and then they start complaining.

Where's the cops when you need them to shut these people up?

Let's strive to make 2012 the year we come together in anti-imperialist solidarity

Let's strive to make 2012 the year we come together in anti-imperialist solidarity to carry forward the work begun by the great anti-imperialists like Mark Twain and Paul Robeson.

This is an "art technique" I learned in a class taught by cartoonist Gary Huck who told me I had no talent to draw--- lol! So he taught me to use the art of others. I just posted this on his FaceBook wall:

Gary; A technique I credit as learning from you. I used my camera and the art of others compliments of the U.S. Postal Service and an appointment book from my insurance company to create an anti-imperialist message of struggle and solidarity about the kind of movement we need in the coming year. 

International anti-imperialist solidarity--- Forever! 

... in our communities, where we work and go to school; in the streets and at the ballot box.

Some facts about Marvin Windows and Doors Barack which Obama conveniently left out of his speech while praising this union-buster

Barack Obama held up Marvin Windows and Doors headquartered in Warroad, Minnesota as his idea of a company that cares about its workers--- have Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard, Bob King and Jimmy Hoffa had enough of Obama's lies, now?


Marvin Windows and Doors is a company that engages in racist hiring practices; pays poverty wages of $7.50 to 10.00 an hour to most of its employees and has reduced the wages of these poverty paid workers by over $800.00 a year this year while pushing workers to produce more for less pay. Most of the workers employed at Marvin Windows and Doors are so poor they are on some form of government assistance and their children even "qualify" for free and reduced price school lunches as the government subsidizes the wages with Food Stamps.


Every worker Marvin hires is scrutinized by a union busting detective agency before they are hired.


The Marvin's big boast is that they have hired violent thugs to thwart and stymie three union organizing drives by the Carpenters Union, the Teamsters and most recently the International Association of Machinists.


The Marvin Family runs the City of Warroad as a company town. A Marvin is the Mayor. The Marvin Family and their relatives own just about every business in town including the one bank and the one super-market and even most of the gas stations.


The Marvin Family contributes to both the Republicans and the Democrats including making huge campaign contributions to Minnesota's two most reactionary Democrats who would feel right at home in Mississippi--- U.S. Congressman Colin Peterson and State Senator LeRoy Stumpf.


Maybe Richard Trumka should consider one more organizing drive at Marvin Windows and Doors to find out just what kind of candidate the AFL-CIO is backing in Barack Obama.


What Obama doesn't say is that he heeded the advice of the Marvin Family in chucking the Employee Free Choice Act.


Why would Marvin Windows and Doors want to lay-off employees during tough economic times when they can force workers to produce more for less pay while the government subsidizes the living standards of its employees so Marvin Windows and Doors can drive its competition out of business selling shoddy products touted in their advertising as the best in the industry while boosting its profits making billionaires out of the Marvin Family in an area that is the most impoverished region in the Nation, second only to Appalachia? Oh, yes; Marvin built a brand new plant in the right-to-work state of Virginia because it could reduce its labor and resource costs even further.


By the way, here in Warroad, Minnesota, this is the only place in the United States that I know of where the Mayor tells the Chief of Police to take battered women to jail and the psych ward because, "We don't have a women's shelter."


The local casino owned by Red Lake Gaming Enterprises works hand-in-hand with the Marvin Family to keep wages down.The Mayor of Warroad determined that it was against the law to distribute union leaflets on any public sidewalk in Warroad because sidewalks are really privately owned and the owners are just kind enough to permit people to walk on the sidewalks provided they don't pass out union leaflets while walking on the sidewalks.


Marvin Windows and Doors--- welcome to Barack Obama's wonderful new world of a new kind of labor relations intended to create and enforce poverty.

From the New York Times:

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/obamas-tribute-to-a-company-that-preserved-jobs/

December 7, 2011, 2:10 PM

Obama’s Tribute to a Company That Preserved Jobs

By ANDREW MARTIN

Ben Garvin for The New York TimesOn the factory floor at the Marvin Windows and Doors factory in Warroad, Minn.

In President Obama’s populist speech in Kansas on Tuesday on rebuilding the middle class, he urged business leaders to realize that their obligations extended beyond the desires of their shareholders.

In citing an example of the type of ethos he envisioned, Mr. Obama citedMarvin Windows and Doors, a midsize, privately held manufacturing company based in Warroad, Minn. Hard hit by the decline in the construction trade, Marvin executives vowed not to lay off any of their workers or cut their health insurance benefits, a credo detailed in a Sept. 25 article in The New York Times. Instead, they cut back hours and pay, including their own, and eliminated some perks.

Mr. Obama quoted Marvin’s president, Susan Marvin, who told The Times, “You can’t grow if you’re cutting your lifeblood — and that’s the skills and experience your work force delivers.”

“That’s how America was built,” Mr. Obama said. “That’s why we’re the greatest nation on Earth. That’s what our greatest companies understand. Our success has never been about survival of the fittest. It’s been about building a nation where we’re all better off.”

In Warroad, Marvin executives were thrilled with the shout-out from the president, even if they are reliable contributors to Republican campaigns, including John McCain, Mr. Obama’s Republican opponent in 2008.

“We’re honored that the president took notice of our longstanding efforts to strengthen our communities as we keep our work force intact,” said John Kirchner, a Marvin spokesman (and family member), in a prepared statement. “As a family-owned and operated company, our philosophy is simple: Do the right thing. If we stay focused on doing the right thing for our customers, our employees and our communities, then our business will be just fine. It’s been a tough few years, but by pulling together, we’ve survived — and we believe we’re poised to thrive.”