Casino Files Lawsuit to Avoid Hiring Union Workers

Churchill Downs Inc. filed a lawsuit last week in an attempt to avoid hiring union maintenance and housekeeping workers at its Derby City Gaming facility in Louisville, Ky., WDRB.com reports.

The lawsuit is requesting that a federal judge overturn an arbitrator’s decision that Churchill Downs should have offered work to members of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 576, the union that represents maintenance workers at the company’s thoroughbred racetrack. Instead of hiring union workers for the casino, Churchill Downs outsourced the jobs to a building services contractor. LIUNA challenged the subcontracting and the arbitrator ruled that the Churchill Downs should hire unions and compensate them for lost wages.