Foxwoods’ slot techs vote to join engineering union

Mashantucket — Slot-machine technicians at Foxwoods Resort Casino have voted to join the union that represents the casino’s Engineering Department workers.

In a March 13 election, “slot techs” voted 21-7 in favor of affiliating with the union, according to Steven Broderick, a business representative for Local 30 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

Forty-five workers were eligible to vote, Broderick said Tuesday.

Local 30 has represented Foxwoods’ Engineering Department workers — skilled tradesmen, including carpenters, electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and general mechanics — since 2011, and has 225 members at Foxwoods. The union recently reached an agreement with Foxwoods management on a third contract, Broderick said.

“In the last contract, we made some achievements for the engineers and these guys (slot technicians) took notice,” he said. “They did their homework.”

The slot technicians now will negotiate a contract of their own, Broderick said.

Workers in Foxwoods’ Environmental Services Department, which is responsible for cleaning, have petitioned for a union election that’s expected to take place next month. Workers are seeking to join the New England Board of Unite Here. About 300 employees are eligible to vote.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe owns the casino.