Showdown in Nevada: Unions Face Off Over Casino Caucus Sites

On Democracy Now! today~
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/17/showdown_in_nevada_unions_face_off

Showdown in Nevada: Unions Face Off Over Casino Caucus Sites

A federal judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit that seeks to ban caucus sites in nine Las Vegas strip hotels ahead of Nevada’s caucuses Saturday. Critics say the suit would disenfranchise the mostly Latino and female workers organized by the powerful Culinary Workers Union, which has endorsed Barack Obama. The suit was filed days after the endorsement by the Nevada State Teachers Union and several individuals backing Hillary Clinton.

Democratic candidates are campaigning in Nevada ahead of the state’s caucuses on Saturday. Nevada is the first heavily Latino state to vote in the 2008 race. Now, a showdown looms between the state"s powerful Culinary Workers Union and the Nevada State Teachers Association over accusations of vote suppression.

Last March, the Democratic Party agreed to set up so-called “at-large caucus sites” in nine Las Vegas strip hotels on Saturday to accommodate workers who can"t attend caucuses in their neighborhoods. The largely Latino and female workforce in almost every casino on the Strip is organized by the 60,000 member Culinary Workers Union, which has endorsed Barack Obama.

Days after the endorsement, the Nevada State Teachers Union and individuals backing Clinton filed a lawsuit alleging that the casino sites create a “preferred class of voters.” The teachers union has not endorsed a candidate but Debbie Cahill, the union"s deputy executive director, is a Clinton supporter. The law firm handling the suit also has ties to the Clinton campaign. Clinton ally and former Nevada Congressman James Bilbray is an attorney at the firm. The federal judge has set a hearing for today to help determine the legitimacy of the at-large caucuses.

We go now to Las Vegas where we are joined on the phone by Hugh Jackson. He is a longtime Las Vegas journalist and has been following this story. He blogs at LasVegasGleaner.com.

Hugh Jackson, Independent journalist based in Las Vegas. He blogs at lasvegasgleaner.com.