Court says Indian casino must follow labor law

MANISTEE, Mich. (AP) - An appeals court says federal labor law applies to an Indian-run casino in northern Michigan.

In a 2-1 decision Tuesday, the court rejected a claim of sovereignty by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The tribe operates the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee with roughly 900 employees. Most don't belong to the tribe.

The Teamsters union filed an unfair labor practice against the Little River Band. The issue for the appeals court was whether the National Labor Relations Board has jurisdiction over the casino.

In a dissent, Judge David McKeague says the majority has wrongly applied U.S. Supreme Court precedent and created a split among appellate courts across the country.

The tribe prohibits strikes by casino workers and gives management many powers over labor.

Published: Thu, Jun 11, 2015