It might be harder to place bets at one Indiana casino.
Workers at the Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville are on strike (starting today) to push for union recognition. Their vote to join a union (Teamsters Local 135) was supposed to happen on Friday, but was postponed because the federal government is shut down.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which handles union votes, has suspended operations due to a lack of federal funds, meaning it can't conduct or certify votes during the shutdown.
The Horseshoe Casino in Shelbyville employs about 1,400 people and was the second-highest earning casino in Indiana last year, making $336 million. It was also a top earner last month.
Who is Going on Strike at Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino?
Teamsters Local 135 already represents other workers at the casino, such as slot attendants and warehouse staff, who joined in 2023 when the property was known as Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.
Now, it's the dealers and dual-rate supervisors who are striking for recognition and union representation. The bargaining unit includes more than 200 workers in these roles.
Strikes at Indiana casinos aren't new. In May, over 140 workers at Caesars Southern Indiana went on a 13-day strike during contract talks, ultimately resulting in a five-year agreement.
Horseshoe Indianapolis is home to a horse racing track and traditional casino games like roulette, table-top games and slot machines.
Strike Background and Union Demands
Over 200 workers, including table game dealers and floor supervisors, are joining this strike, which is unusual these days. They're striking just to get their union officially recognized, even though there's no formal union in place yet.
Teamsters Local 135, led by President Dustin Roach, suggested a solution to management: hold the union election as planned but let a neutral third party oversee it instead of the federal NLRB.
The union says that Horseshoe Indianapolis management has ignored this suggestion and is stepping up its efforts to oppose the workers' attempts to organize.
NLRB Shutdown Effects
While the National Labor Relations Act remains in force, the NLRB itself is unable to facilitate elections, ballot counts, or resolve labor disputes during the shutdown.
All pending cases and requests, including the Indianapolis casino union election, have had their timelines postponed until federal funding is restored.
The resulting backlog could further delay outcomes on labor disputes, but employers are advised to maintain compliance with NLRA standards regardless of the shutdown status.
Key Issues Moving Forward
The main demand of striking workers is for Horseshoe Indianapolis management to agree to a different way of voting for union recognition while the government is shut down.
Local labor leaders say that striking just to be recognized as a union is legal, but it's not common. This tactic is used to put more pressure on employers.
Since the government is still shut down, there's no set date for the official NLRB election, adding more uncertainty to the unionizing efforts at the casino.
This strike is unusual because it's occurring during a federal shutdown, and the outcome might influence how unions organize in similar situations in the future.
