LEDYARD, Conn. (AP) — As the tribe behind one of the country’s largest casinos adjusts to life without six-figure stipends, more Mashantucket Pequot tribal members are going to work at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Members of the tribe in southeastern Connecticut receive special consideration for employment and promotions under the law. Tribal members who take entry-level jobs at the casino also have been eligible for supplemental pay that raises their minimum wage to about $24 an hour.
A trickle of recent tribal hires has included 15 who took jobs as table-game dealers. Their status has emerged as a contentious labor issue at Foxwoods, with one union pushing in contract talks to protect veteran workers’ seniority rights.
The Pequots halted generous revenue-sharing payments earlier this year as they struggle through a financial crisis.
